State of Mind
by Iambic Brose
Summary: Danny Fenton's life wasn't as complicated as it was. Ghost attacks had started dying down, he had his mate in the Ghostwriter, and he was understanding his powers better- Okay, so, he might have a crush on his mate's 'brother', be in line to be King of all Ghosts, have to go to college, and be dealing with the state of mind of what a ghost really was. Still...how hard could it be?
1. Love Fucking Sucks

**Authors' Notes**

 **Kit - I'm so sorry for all the sins we've commited. Also, this fanfic would be somewhat of a spin-off on FTB from about halfway through. Just take out Danny's constant pain in that fic. Note that 'Andrew Riter' is the Ghostwriter, and 'Randy Riter' is Ghostwriter's 'brother'. In this story, we made them raised together, but they are NOT blood related.**

 **Kas - Minus all the bits of Guardian added in, which should also be read. Just as a warning, this /is/ an OT3 fic, though there is nothing besides kisses and cuddling that may go a TINY bit far, but there is NO SMUT in this.**

 **Kit - If you want OT3 smut, though, hit us up and we'll hook you up.**

 **Kas - Shut up, Nomi.**

 **Kit - ...Kay.**

* * *

"Hiii, Randy!" Danny Fenton bounced over to the older ghost happily before hugging him tightly. Randy Riter - Ghostwriter's brother - was easily scooping Danny up and returning the hug, nuzzling at the top of the teen's head with a bright smile.

"Yo, Danny! I haven't seen you in what feels like- Wait ...How did you get past the traps... Cause, I mean, I'm _pretty sure_ I still had traps up in the lobby." Unless Liz, his lair, had taken them down. Again.

"Liz likes me." The younger sniffed at the air, wrinkling his nose with a frown. "I thought you said you couldn't bake." Randy blinked at that, slowly narrowing his eyes.

"...I'm not." Yes. Lie to the child. That would _totally_ work. "And Liz likes _everyone_ more than me. I'm pretty sure she just puts up with me because I drag back people for her to torment."

"Aww, no! She loves you!" Danny gave a small shake off his head. "Okay, if you're not baking, what is that smell?" That god awful, familiar smell.

"A candle. Yes. That's what it is." A slight pause, Randy setting the teen down before heading towards the kitchen. "That was a fucking lie, but still, pretend it's one you believe."

"Why don't you make me?" The teen followed him into the kitchen with a hum, almost absently looking around at the castle-like lair that Randy lived in. "So, any fun jobs, recently?"

"Surprisingly? Not really," Randy shrugged, snagging a pair of oven mitts and poking at whatever was in the oven. "It's surprising, but, apparently, not a lot of ghosts _need_ mercenaries. And I hate working for Vlad." A grumble of 'fucking psycho.

"Good. He's a fruitloop. He'd probably make you go hunt down materials for a Danny-bot." Shivering, the teen looked into the oven curiously. "You're making...brownies."

"Yes. And to be fair, it was parts for Skulker." Randy pulled the pan out, shutting the oven door with a little kick. "That was also a joke. Mostly. But I did do some work for him in the beginning, before I found out how crazy he was."

"Really? _You_ worked for Vlad? You must have been really desperate." Danny poked at the brownies, trying to snatch a piece. The pan was immediately snatched back and pulled away, Randy looking hesitant.

"I'd really rather you _not_ eat these specifically- Okay, look, I can't bake. It burns. All of it. But I wanted something chocolate to munch on and I only know _one_ recipe that turns out right- Look, Uncle Seb thought it was a good idea to give it to me, okay, and I have a perfect memory. Just...just don't eat this. They are not good for human teens-" A pause in his rambled explanation. "...Unless you already do, in which case that's totally cool, and all, as long as you're safe- Pot. They're pot brownies. If that wasn't clear."

Danny only made a face before skittering to the other side of the kitchen, nose once again wrinkling in clear distaste. "That explains the smell." God, he hated that stuff.

"That does indeed explain the smell." Randy was popping one into his mouth before digging around for a container for the others. "Just so happens if I don't add it in, the brownies end up burning and tasting rancid. That, and the stuff doesn't really affect ghosts. But, yeah, I'm kinda grateful for your reaction. It means I can still pretend you are innocent- Pretend. I know- I know. But still."

Rolling his eyes, Danny passed a tupperware bowl over to Randy before going through the cabinets and dammit, he moved the cups, again. "And since you love your little brother oh so much, you'll make me some hot chocolate, right?" Ooo, that one almost didn't hurt!

"I mean, I could _try_ saying no to you, but then we'd both know that it would end with you winning and me breaking. So I think I'll just cut out the middle man, there." Randy was putting the brownies away before setting them aside, snatching some air freshener - it was better than the _pot_ smell, at any rate. "Cups are in the next cabinet over."

"And another thing! You move things around like every week! Why do you do that?! Are you trying to make me doubt my reality?!" Danny ranted as he got out his favorite cup - a fairly large mug, all white with two blue wolf eyes - and set it down next to Randy. Randy only snorted at the cup, picking it up and grabbing another one for himself.

"No, I just...move things around and obsessively clean everything- Okay, you know how all the rooms in here are a wreck? But do you ever see dust or anything like it? At all? Ever?" Yes, handmade hot chocolate. None of that pour in a cup instant made _crap_. "It's a _thing_."

"Yeah, well, it's a stupid thing." He pouted as he wrapped his arms around Randy's neck, hanging off of his back while his tail flicked and curled in agitation.

"Nah, it keeps you on your toes- Well, _half_ of the time it does." Randy nudged him in the side with his elbow. "See? I can pun, too."

"Meh." Danny shrugged, only resting his chin on the top of Randy's head, and watching him almost sullenly.

"Wow. Someone's in a mood. What's up with you, petit mec?" Randy shifted around to grab a few things, almost absently giving a little scratch to the tail as it flicked by him.

"Huh? Oh, n... No, no, I'm fine." And wow. Okay. That was weak.

"Excessive pouting, tail flicking about twenty times a _second_ , as well as grumbly and huffy words." Randy nudged him again. "Spiiill."

Danny nudged back, giving a small whine. "Randy, seriously, I'm fine. It's not like the world's ending."

"Well excuse me for being _worried_ about my dear, dear br- fr- ARGH! WORDS!" Randy threw his arms up dramatically in frustration, looking annoyed beyond belief. "Why are words and thoughts and _consciousness a thing?! Fuck it all!_ " Humming quietly, Danny gently scratched at Randy's scalp for a moment, trying to calm him down. It was a long few moments before Randy was slumping, looking pathetic. And maybe trying not to purr. "Thoughts are stupid." Honestly. The pair were fucking _mated_.

Danny snorted, looking bitter. "Tell me about it."

Randy gave a quiet laugh, and, right. Joking with a little brother. This was fine. "I didn't know you liked _salt_ in your drink."

"...What."

"You're as salty as Andy is bitter," Randy snorted, shaking his head and starting to finish up the drinks. "And he's pretty fuckin' bitter."

"As much as the coffee he drinks," Danny conceded. Detaching himself from the man, he flew to the private library within the lair, settling down with a book on top of a shelf. It was a few minutes before Randy was sitting down beside him, leaving a bit of space.

"I come with the peace offering of hot chocolate and Riter cookies." A little wave of the cup. "It has spriiinkles."

Grinning, Danny leaned against his side for a moment before taking the two. He set the cup far away from the book to give it time to cool, and munched on one of the cookies. "Thanks." Randy was...a really great big brother.

"So, wanna try revising that whole 'it's nothing', then?" Snatching another cookie, Randy used it to poke at Danny's cheek.

"Nnnope." More silent poking with the cookie. "It's _fine._ " Poke poke. Danny finally swatted at the cookie, frowning at him. "Quit it!"

"Gonna be honest, I expected you to bite the cookie," Randy snorted, nibbling on the cookie himself. "Okay, new point, you're curled up on _top_ of a bookshelf. So, I can get you not wanting me to pry, but _are_ you okay?"

"What? I _like_ bookshelves! My mate _lives_ in a library! Is it _so_ hard to believe?!" A moment of silence, Randy scratching near the middle of Danny's spine quietly. Danny gave a quiet huff, returning to his book. Randy flicked his eyes, and, really, this kid was _far_ too much like Andrew. Still, didn't stop him from settling down and getting comfortable. He would just wait out Danny's bad mood. Obviously.

It was a couple hours later, when Danny's phone went off, that there was any movement between the two of them. The teen glanced to it before closing the book and setting it aside. His cup had long since been emptied, and the cookies eaten. He barely glanced to Randy, only giving a half-hearted wave as he got up to leaver. "Later."

"Yeah, later..." Well, that didn't work. Sighing, Randy gave the teen a smile. "Feel free to come back whenever- Or, ya know, tell Andy to visit. Since he never does that. Ever." Wow, okay, even _he_ was bitter. "Night."

"Night."

About five minutes later, Randy was glancing up to the ceiling. "Liz, he gone?" A positive little hum, followed by exasperation. There then might have been a _scream_ of frustration from Randy, the man flopping off the bookshelf and into the floor, rolling on the ground in pain. "WHY AM I IN LOVE WITH _BOTH_ LITTLE BROTHERS WHAT THE FUCK HOW FUCKED UP AM I WHHHYYY?!"

Liz only quietly hummed, trying to hush him as best she could because really, now. She was getting a bit fed up with all of this. Was it really not so _obvious_?

"...How likely am I to be able to disappear without them coming after me?" A negative hum was his answer. "Paaaiiinnn."

Love fucking sucked.


	2. Acceptance

**Authors' Notes**

 **Kit - Deeennniiiiaaaaalll~**

 **Kas - It's not just a river in Egypt, Danny.**

 **Kit - ...Shut up, Kas.**

 **Kas - Mmkay.**

* * *

"Hi."

There was a squeak of utter _terror_ , Andrew suddenly trapped in a thick white shield that wrapped around him like a bubble, Randy breathing somewhat heavily as he looked at the man. "When I told you to keep up with your training, I didn't mean _to sneak up on me in my own lair_!" Andrew was only tilting his head at the bubble and examining it this way and that, and, interesting, it was thicker than most shields he saw. "Wait...you never visit me- Is something wrong."

"Wha- No, no, Danny just passed along your message, so I thought I'd drop by." Randy blinked at that, giving a slow nod, and, right, he had told Danny that. He didn't think Andrew would _do_ it, but, still.

"Right. Cause that's a thing- Right." Moving the shield over to the couch, he flicked his hand and let it disappear, Andrew harmlessly dropping onto the cushions. "Speaking of the sweet little halfa, how is he? Any less bitter than when he visited me?"

"I'm not sure how bad he was when he came over, but he's still fairly bad off. I certainly have an idea or two why that is..." Andrew shifted a bit before leaning back in his seat, looking comfortable.

"Is this an idea or two that you'd feel like _sharing_ , maybe?" Randy was flying over and flopping on top of Andrew, curling up to him, and, see? Innocent brother cuddles. It was totally fine. Totally.

Andrew gave a smile and ran a hand over Randy's back like one would a pampered pet. "No." Randy's dramatic sigh came out as more of a content purr, the man a completely limp pile of happy ghost- Okay, he didn't get much attention, okay?! And- That was the shoulder blades- Purring. Purring was loud. "So, have you had any decent jobs coming in?"

There was a slew of French and Ghostspeak that _could_ have been words, Randy a bit too blissed out and content to really _try_ to make himself understandable. He was a bit too busy nuzzling against Andrew, purring a _bit_ more. Rolling his eyes, the younger let up, only scratching at his lower back as he nudged him. "Randy."

"Wha- Oh, yeah, total- No. Not really. They've all been terrible- Although there's that one with the Black Woods that I'll be doing next week, so that's something. It's always kind of interesting to go there- Ugh, do you know how _boring_ most escort quests are, though? They're _so_ boring."

Andrew rose an eyebrow, giving a snort. "Quests? These aren't your fantasy games, Randy. You're not on a journey to stop a great and terrible evil."

"...Wha- No. I said jobs." Randy looked confused, and slightly panicked. "I said jobs, didn't I- Andy, tell me I said escort jobs."

"You said quests, mon chevalier."

"Uuugghh- Knight?" Randy blinked, looking up to Andrew in confusion at the nickname that had been used. "Huh?"

"It's the name I used to use for you." He curled around Randy with a smile. "My knight in shining armor." Randy only blinked, looking confused before making a noise of realization.

"Ooh, you _did_ used to call me that! I almost forgot about that," Randy laughed, relaxing against Andrew again. "It was _adorable_."

"Well, it was true. The knight, come to save the Prince from himself." Andrew hummed, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of Randy's head.

"Oh, so you're the _prince_ now, are you? Here I thought you were the terrible dragon that kidnapped Danny." Don't fucking blush, Randy, don't you fucking dare.

"Hm, no, I like to think I saved him." Andrew looked entirely too proud, only settling down a bit more. This was...nice.

"You kidnapped and hoarded him and then he became attached," Randy argued back, curling up to Andrew and, yes, this was fine. This was totally fine. "Also if you don't hear from me in two weeks, I died in the Black Woods."

"...One of your longer ones, then." And he may have sounded a touch disappointed- He liked having Randy around! It made things more...right.

"Yeah, been a while since I took a long one, though, and there wasn't many out there to begin with, lately." Randy shrugged, closing his eyes and almost absently rubbing his cheek against Andrew's chest, relaxing more at the hearing the quiet sound of his core beating. "It's not like my work is exactly 'stable'."

"Tell me about it." Andrew ran a hand through Randy's hair, humming a song he typically only saved for Danny. "Any chance of finishing it early?"

"Possibly...if everything goes smoothly I should be home in a week. Considering I'm a pessimist, I gave it two. If it helps, though, it won't go over that."

"That does help."

"...Really, though, _is_ Danny okay?" Because while he could understand the teen being in a bad mood - teens went through so much, truly - it didn't usually last _this_ long.

"He's...certainly been better. But I'm sure that, with time," And a nudge in the right direction. "He'll be better."

"Hopefully, at least," Randy snorted, and, really, how bad could Danny be?

::

"UUUGGGHHH."

"Wow. That's a noise. Is the world ending, or something?" Sam looked to Tucker, nudging him with her foot. "What do you think, Tuck? Do _you_ think the world is ending?"

"My life may as well be," Danny groaned from the bed, hiding under a mountain of blankets and pillows.

"You know, Sam, I don't think the world is ending."

"No, no, but _Danny's_ world seems to be ending. Come on, Danny, boyfriend troubles again? Didn't you two fix that when you confessed dramatically?" Sam, in the computer chair, rolled over to nudge at Danny. "What's up?" The teen stayed stubbornly silent, only shifting under the blankets a little.

"Come on, dude," Tick said from the beanbag chair on the floor. "She'll get it out of you somehow."

"I...kinda, I guess." Sam shared a look with Tucker, nudging Danny again. She'd give it a bit longer before she pushed him to the floor.

"Okay, that's progress. Wanna try adding _actual_ information into that sentence? Like what these boyfriend troubles are about?"

"It's nothing about Andrew! God, no, he's perfect, it's just that..." He went silent, apparently unwilling to say whatever it was.

"Just that...what?" Sam gave another nudge. "Come on, Danny, we're you're best friends. We're _supposed_ to be here to hear you bitch about your relationship."

"It's just that I kinda...might be..." Whatever else he said was muttered too softly for them to hear. Tucker sighed, leaning his head back to look at the bed.

"You _know_ we don't have ghost hearing, right? Come on, man, we won't judge. We promise."

"Yeah, even if it's world ending."

"I think that...I just...might be...fallinginlovewithmymate'sbrother." There was a bit of silence in the room, Sam finally giving a slow nod and pulling out her phone. And maybe playing a song that was not so appropriate for the situation. Danny only whined, curling up into a tighter ball and _paaaiiin._

"I'm sorry, but I've been dying to do that in a situation for _years_." Sam flicked the song off, going to sit on the bed and soothingly pat at Danny's back. "Hey, it's alright. I mean, I get it, Randy's kind of hot, and a bit of a badass, it's totally cool. Now, are you sure it's love? Or is it maybe just a really intense crush?"

"I...I dunno. I think that when I first met him, I kinda had a crush but now it's so much worse because he's Andrew's _brother_ and that's just wrong on so many levels and even if it wasn't he just sees me as a little brother." The words were said in a bit of a rush, Sam giving a nod.

"First off, it's not wrong. It's kinda normal to get crushes on people all the time, even if it's people we don't _think_ we should be having crushes on." A dramatic cough, and poke to his side. "Second off, have you tried talking to GW about it? I know the thought is probably panic worthy, but he is older, and a _bit_ better at this stuff, yeah? Maybe he can help you through it."

"N- No... It's his _brother._ Do you know how weird that would be? Hey, Andy, I know that we're mates and all, but I'm also really into your brother!"

"He has a point," Tucker helped, Sam only throwing a shoe at him.

"No, he has paranoia. Yeah, it'd probably be weird, but it's _GW_. He's all about helping you through complicated things. Plus, it can't be any weirder than the fact he's technically in his 50s."

"Alright, alright, I'll...I'll try."


	3. For Forever

**Authors' Note**

 **Kit - Well, this was much less dramatic than the first go around.**

 **Kas - We barely know what we're doing.**

 **Kit - We don't know what we're doing at all.**

* * *

Danny was half sitting, half lying in Andrew's lap, his back pressed against the older's chest as he relaxed. This was nice. He liked being able to just be able to have these quiet moments with Andrew. Andrew was just as relaxed, quietly typing on the laptop that he had placed in Danny's lap, wrapped around the teen and absently nuzzling him. "When is Randy supposed to get back?" And just like that, their peaceful silence was broken.

"Two days ago," Andrew mumbled, curling around Danny a bit more and uuuggghhh. Goddamn Randy and his...himness. And recklessness.

"...Oh." Great fucking job, Danny. Guess who screwed up again? Couldn't have just stayed quiet and enjoyed things.

"Mon cher, what's wrong." Andrew had closed his laptop and was now shifting Danny to where he could lean his forehead against the teen's temple, fingers absently rubbing at his side. "You've been down for the past few _weeks_."

"Yeah, I guess I have. I dunno. I just... I dunno," he repeated, giving a small shrug. And he really didn't know. Why was he mated at all? Why did he love both of them? Did they both feel the same? Did Andrew ever feel the same about Randy?

"Would you like to try explaining what's on your mind, maybe?" Andrew tucked Danny closer to him, soothingly running a hand down his back. "Maybe talking it out will help."

"...Promise you won't get mad, or anything?"

"I promise I won't be mad," Andrew smiled, pecking Danny on the cheek. "Unless you burned another book, and then it would just be annoyed exasperation, at this point." Danny gave a soft laugh, and a weak smile before he was curling closer and half hiding in Andrew's coat.

" _I think I'm falling in love with Randy._ " There was a bit of silence, Andrew only continuing to rub at Danny's back.

"Well...I was wondering when you would admit to it, at least." The voice was in no way angry or annoyed, and was, if anything, a little amused.

"...Huh?" Danny looked hopelessly confused, staring up at Andrew with wide eyes. Andrew chuckled, cupping Danny's cheek and kissing the teen's forehead.

"Unlike you two, mon cher, _I_ am not that clueless. It was rather easy to see." A bit of a grin. "Is now a good time to mention he and I aren't related by blood?"

"Huh?" And okay, none of this made sense- Was Andrew saying what he thought he was saying? Because this was a mess. Andrew was only happily settling down on the couch, flicking his hand and summoning a book about ghosts mates, flipping to a certain page before setting it in Danny's lap.

"I wanted you to tell me yourself, first, so I didn't influence your choices, or in case I was wrong. But, yes, Sylvia was our _teacher_. She just happened to adopt us and look after us like a mother until we both came to see her as such." A slight cough, and the barest hint of a blush. "I...also might have feelings for Randy that aren't... _quite_ so brotherly."

Danny stared at the page for a long moment before slumping against Andrew completely. He tugged on Andrew's coat until it was wrapped around him, enough to hide him. " _Kill me._ " Andrew only curled around him and nuzzled at his head, laughing quietly.

"I'm afraid I'm a bit too fond of you to do that. Still, would it help matters if I told you he feels the same for both of us?"

At that, the teen was looking up to him, his eyes widening with cautious hope. "How do you know?" A snort at that, Andrew looking _very_ amused.

"It isn't obvious? Danny... Danny, love, mon cher. Compare his behavior to Andrea's when she's around Peter."

"...Ohhhh."

"Yes. Oh." Andrew chuckled again, kissing at Danny's cheek. "Feeling better?"

"A little," he admitted. "And...you'd be okay? With something like that?" Like all three of them...

"Mon cher, I would be _delighted_ with something like that," Andrew smiled, kissing Danny softly and sweetly. "Of course, we still have to pin Randy down and tell him all this. He's... He's remarkably like you." Clueless. So very clueless.

"Yeah, but he's still on that job-"

"HONEY, I'M HOME!"

"...You know, I don't think he is," Andrew snorted, Randy only flying past them and looking to be searching for something. "Ra- Randy. What are you-"

"I _know_ you have one- Aha! Found it!" Randy waved a first-aid kit. "It's fine, I found it, totally cool."

"Why...do you need a first aid kit?" Danny shared a worried glance with Andrew and wow, no, Randy did not look okay.

"I want it to go on record that I _did_ try to get the job to end early- I really, _really_ did." Randy looked more concerned with defending himself than stopping his bleeding- Was he still bleeding? He was pretty sure he was still bleeding from his back. "But then when we got there there was some...I dunno, civil unrest? By which I mean everyone fucking betrayed each other and then they wanted to kill me to 'keep the secret'? There- It was pretty fucked up, at one point. And then the giant fucking six-legged _tiger_ \- So, yeah, sorry, that I'm late. There was a lot of shit going on."

Danny gave a quiet sigh before taking the kit from him. "So, where are you hurt?" Because really, he probably knew the most first aid of the three of them. And Randy would need it.

"B...ack. And sides- And... No, that's...arm. And arm too- I swear I'm not concussed I just haven't slept in a while." Randy let himself be nudged and pushed over to the couch, looking to be sulking. "It's not- It's not _that_ bad."

Giving a small nudge, Danny blinked. "Would you mind taking your shirt off, then?" Randy only struggled with his shirt and coat for a minute before grumbling and phasing the items off, letting them hit the floor. The two stared at him for a moment because that was far more scars than they'd expected. Danny was the first to brush it off, opening the kit and getting to work on Randy's back.

"Sooo. Anything interesting happen while I was away and dealing with bullshit?" Randy had adjusted so Danny could reach the wounds easier, seeming quite used to being patched up, as he gave Andrew his attention. "Give me gossip."

Andrew gave a small shrug. "Not much, really. Just...what's normal, for us." Danny snorted because really. He wasn't _wrong_.

"So world ending revelations, then-" A small whimper of pain, Randy looking _pathetic_. "I feel I should mention my shoulder blades are very weak." Danny gave a nod, and a small scratch to Randy's scalp, before trying to be more gentle.

"Mm, you could say that. And how were you, while you were away? Any world ending revelations on your part?" From behind Randy, Danny gave Andrew a look, because he thought that was _subtle_?

"...Not...really? I mean, the only world ending revelations I have are when I'm around you two, so not much of a chance for some." Randy shrugged, giving a nervous laugh. "Aha, wow, I so regret that decision to shrug, right now."

Sighing, Andrew kissed Randy's forehead. "No other wounds you're trying to hide, right? We just want what's best for you." Randy, who _might_ have blushed a _bit_ , only waved him off.

"No, I'm getting better at shields and dodging, so it really was just the back and sides, where I was caught off guard a bit. Promise." A pause, and a glance back to Danny. "So, I notice _someone_ is no longer being as bitter as Andy's coffee. Feeling better?"

Danny looked startled that he was being spoken to. Looking to Randy, he gave a soft smile and a nod. "Yeah, a bit." As he continued to work, his tail lightly wound itself around Randy's waist.

"Good! Because you sad is like seeing a small woodland creature sad, and it just ends up depressing for everyone." Randy gave a small scratch to Danny's tail, not even seeming to be aware of what he was doing. "It's like- It's like _Bambi_ sad. That's how bad it is."

While Danny shivered and gave a barely there purr, Andrew rose an eyebrow, looking incredibly amused. He looked to Randy, and then pointedly looked at the tail. "Typically, his patheticness is on purpose." Randy, who seemed to notice what he had done, went very still before stopping the movement. A moment of conflicting emotions on his face and he was shooting a smile up at Andrew.

"You're not wrong, especially when itty bitty you used to do the same trick. So, what's the diagnoses, am I gonna bleed out on the couch? Because I don't think Vidya will like that."

"And neither would we," Danny said, swatting at Randy's good arm. "You'll be fine, just...try to take it easy. I know, it's a foreign concept to you."

Andrew only quietly chuckled, looking amused at the two. "You know, Danny's not the only one who's been off, especially recently. Is there anything you'd like to talk about, mon chevalier?" Danny had to stop himself from showing any reaction because oh damn. Andrew had him set up.

"Not that I can think of," Randy snorted, raising an eyebrow in amusement. "Maybe you're just forgetting that my default setting is 'annoying asshole who loves to annoy others'. I'm fine- I mean, okay, maybe not physically at the mo', but overall I'm good."

"You're speaking with your accent." _Shit_.

"Did I? That's weird. Normal, though. You _know_ it slips in, here and there, at times." Shit, shit, shit, it was _thicker_. Now Andrew would _know_ something was up.

Well...if Andrew was being cruel... "Hey, Randy. Promise you're alright? Or at least gonna be, soon?" Randy only looked to Danny as if the teen had personally tried to kill him.

"I...would rather not promise that, petit mec." Hm, he wondered what his chances of fleeing were. He might have silently asked Vidya the same. She gave a negative hum, the book next to them being given a small nudge. Randy blinked at the book, looking at the page it was open to before things clicked into place with startling clarity. "Oh...ooh..."

Andrew shot a glare to the ceiling. "Vidya!" Her violin notes were clumsy and aggressive to Andrew because she had dealt with this for _thirty years._ Randy was only picking the book up and quietly reading the page again, as well as the few around it, slowly nodding.

"Not gonna lie, this puts a lot of things into perspective...like why you two can hear Liz, and everything."

"How did _you_ know I could hear Liz," Andrew asked with indignation.

"How did you know _I_ could hear her?" Danny was only tilting his head, cautiously sitting down on the back of the couch.

"Oh, please, Liz has less patience than Vidya does. She ratted you two out to me the second she knew it," Randy snorted, picking his shirt up and struggling a bit to try and get it on. Goddamn back wounds. "I just am very good at denial."

Danny helped him almost absently, worrying and fretting. "Well then why didn't you say anything?"

"Because you two are mated and saying anything would be the equivalent of homewrecking?" Randy half asked, happily humming at having his shirt back on. "But, yes, there were a lot of bullshit reasons."

"Well," Andrew started carefully. "What do you want to do then, Randy?" Because...this could go many different ways.

"Wha- No. Don't ask me. That's giving me a chance to fuck everything up through my self-deprecating attitude- Ask Danny. Ask him first." Randy nudged Danny over to where he was effectively being used as a shield.

"Wha- No. We already talked about it." Danny flew behind Randy with a huff, putting the man between himself and Andrew.

"Danny and I already talked a bit about what we'd like, now we want to know what you would like." Randy sighed, looking a mess of emotions as he physically drooped.

"And I'm guessing you won't be telling me what you two decided."

"That would be cheating. I want this to just be your decision. No one else's." Randy only looked back down to the book, absently fiddling with the page.

"Not much to 'decide', on my end. I have pretty romantic feelings for you two, I haven't seen you guys like brothers _ever_ , and, yeah..." Randy shrugged. "I love you two, simple as that." Oh, lovely, he was now blushing and trying to smother his face in the book. At hearing the words, Danny only gave a tiny shudder. They sounded nice.

Andrew warmly smiled, leaning his forehead against Randy's. "And we feel the same as you. So...I think that...a relationship is definitely something to think about." He knew Randy was never really in serious relationships, so he would understand if the older needed time.

Time, apparently, was only a few seconds. "Yes- I mean, yeah, just...definitely a thing I would want if it was you two." And oh, look, the blush was back. And he couldn't hide. At all.

Andrew quietly laughed, pulling Randy a bit closer. "Then we're agreed."

"...How long have you had this _planned_." Randy paused, snatching Danny and dragging him into his lap, because, no. He needed Danny cuddles after this conversation.

"Me, for about three months. Danny and I both for about five minutes." Danny blinked, looking startled before settling down, his tail wrapping around Andrew's wrist.

"You little rat. I _knew_ you looked too smug about something," Randy huffed, floating up enough to plop in Andrew's lap. "You are both now my cuddle captives."

"...I like that. I'm using that." Danny nodded, looking pleased with himself as he curled up a bit more.

"Feel free. But, yes, cuddle captives for forever. Or until you get sick of me and throw me out." Randy was already settling down in Andrew's lap and nuzzling lightly under his chin, not looking like he'd be moving anytime soon.

Andrew rolled his eyes and nuzzled back, placing his laptop back in Danny's lap. "'For forever' it is, then."


	4. Spoiled Rotten

**Authors' Notes**

 **Kit - We make them spoil Danny far too much, but, c'mon. That kid deserves to be _spoiled rotten_. Eh, eh? Get it? Cause, cause, the title. Yeah.**

 **Kas - They all deserve to be spoiled, don't get too far ahead of yourself.**

 **Kit - I shall do my best to avoid spoilers, then, shall I?**

 **Kas - You mean _spoil_ ers.**

 **Kit - ...**

 **Kas - Ayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy.**

* * *

"So...I can see where I got carried away, but I swear this is somewhat normal for me." After having slept over at Vidya - for a few hours maybe - Randy had gotten up to work on breakfast. It...got away from him, a bit.

"Oh, ah... It looks...great. I'm just not that hungry." Danny was trying to be nice, he really was, but what the hell. There was just _so much food._

"That's a fucking lie, you barely ate dinner last night. Also, I swear to you, this is normal after a long mission. I usually just mass cook at my own lair- It's like stress therapy, okay."

"Well, that doesn't change that I'm not hungry. I don't eat in the mornings. You know this." He narrowed his eyes, his arms crossed at the older. Randy only crossed his arms back, looking stubborn.

"I have literally _seen_ you eat in the mornings- You eat! I've seen you eat!"

"I do not! When was this?!"

"I dunno! A week ago, I guess- No, like, a month! I saw you eat toast, I know you eat!"

"That was a _month_ ago, and it was _toast._ Toast never counts! Plus this?! I don't even know what half of this is!" Seeing a rather dramatic gesture to some of the food, Randy made a noise similar to a 'snerk'.

"Well, _that_ is toast, actually. French toast."

"...Why do French people have different toast?!"

"I don't know? It's not like I made this stuff up myself!" A pause, Randy looking like he just had an epiphany. "Ooh, hold on." A flash and he was flying over to the counter before flying back to Danny, a cup full of coffee - with his usual in it - held out in a peace offering. Danny stared at it for a long moment before taking it and sipping from it. The teen immediately slumped in his seat, sluggishly curling around the cup and looking like, for all the world, a sleepy child. "Tiny little cutie." Randy flew around a few moments before gathering some things on a plate and setting it in front of Danny.

It was a few simple slices of french toast with a little whip cream and strawberries on the side, Randy seeming quite proud of himself. Danny quietly munched, humming as his tail swayed and curled, showing his relaxed state. Randy nodded, pressing a quick kiss to the top of Danny's head before he was off to try and wake Andrew. He already knew he was going to die, so he, at least, thought it was rather valient of him. "Aaanndddyy. Morning time." And really, it spoke volumes that he had a pillow to the face instead of a knife! Although it didn't stop Randy from bubbling Andrew - as well as a blanket and pillow by mistake - before toting him off to the kitchen. "I have retrieved the grumpy one."

Looking up to Andrew, Danny blinked at Randy. "...That's cool."

"Yup, kinda the one thing I'm good at, when it comes to ghost powers," Randy snorted, making a cup of coffee for Andrew, the actions absent and near memorized. "I can teach you how to make them, if you want. From seeing some of your fights, I can tell you use shields a lot."

"...Cool." Putting his cup back on the table, Danny hummed as he started to nod off, still curled up in his chair. Randy only snorted and released the bubble around Andrew, catching him and shifting the ghost to a seat before setting the coffee in front of him. Snagging the pillow and blanket, he tossed the blanket over Danny, nudging him onto the pillow and moving his plate and empty cup aside.

Andrew sipped at his drink, narrowing his eyes at Randy, and gesturing to Danny. "You spoil him."

"You spoil him too, though, so I see no problem with it. Besides, that kid _deserves_ to be spoiled," Randy shrugged, fixing Andrew a plate - mostly of old favorites - before sliding it in front of him. "You too. Eat, tiny child." Andrew waved him off, grumbling about this or that thing as he started in on the meal.

A few minutes of peaceful silence and Danny was sitting up a bit, and looking confused. He wrapped the blanket tightly around his shoulders and grabbed the pillow before floating out of his seat. With a quiet hum, he kissed Randy's cheek before heading out to the gardens.

And no, dammit, Randy did not blush and stumble as he started putting food up while nibbling. He _didn't_ , dammit. He was just...caught off-guard, was all. That was it- THAT WAS IT. There was a poke to his arm, Andrew narrowing his eyes at him. "...Why are you wrong?"

"...I mean...I'm bisexual and have had years worth of gay sex? Does that count as wrong?"

"Your face is all..." He gave another poke to Randy's cheek. Realizing he meant the blush, Randy might have blushed _more_ before swatting Andrew away.

"Nothing- It's nothing. Eat your food. Or drown in coffee. Just. Nn." Andrew narrowed his eyes for a long moment before face-planting on the table next to his plate. "...I forgot how much of a disaster you were in the mornings..." Shaking his head and tsking, Randy flew to the gardens to check on Danny, nodding at seeing he, too, was passed out asleep. "Both. Both of you are wrecks."

By the time the two woke up, it was near noon, Danny finding himself in a near _nest_ of blankets and pillows and comfortable warmth, while Andrew was tucked away on a couch with a blanket over him as well. Randy also might have been passed out at the kitchen table with lunch already made and sitting on the stove. Danny, with a blanket still wrapped around his shoulders, stared at Randy for a long moment. "Adorable cutie." With the man staying still and having no way of arguing, Danny went to grab the first aid kit, and phased his shirt off.

"Shouldn't he be _awake_ for that," Andrew snorted, going to poke around what had been made and ooh, fresh coffee. Yes. Randy would survive the ending of the worlds, Andrew would make sure of it. "I'm somewhat certain he should be awake."

"Then he'd argue and try to get out of it," Danny pointed out. Unwrapping the bandages, he winced and tsked. "He tore them back open. Probably all that running around he was doing."

"Same as always, then," Andrew sighed, eyes flicking to the ceiling. "Do I want to _know_ how much moving around he did?" A hesitant hum and a few pictures that showed he _might_ have cleaned a room or two...or half of the entire library. "Randall, you goddamn idiot."

The youngest only gave a shake of his head before getting to cleaning and rewrapping the wounds because honestly. "He's just trying to impress us," Danny said with a sigh.

"That doesn't much surprise me," Andrew sighed himself, scratching at Randy's scalp a bit. It was a moment before the older was giving a quiet purr, tilting his head towards the touch and looking to slowly relax himself. "Honestly."

" _Adorable._ " Danny hummed happily before he carefully tugged and pulled Randy's shirt back on him. "So, then. Lunch?"

"Lunch. Although good luck waking him. Once he's in a place he knows he's safe, he won't wake up unless he wants to." A snort from Andrew, who was sipping at his coffee. "The only way to wake him up is if he thinks one of us is hurt."

"Or we can just let him sleep. I mean, he ate breakfast, right?" Danny was already setting the table for himself and Andrew, and serving the food.

"Knowing him, he's barely slept since he's been gone," Andrew sighed, scratching at Randy's scalp again, and staring as the man purred quietly, leaning against him more. "...Is it bad I want to kidnap him and never let him leave?"

"Well, I mean, that's what you did to me, right?" Danny pushed Andrew's plate towards him, watching the two for a moment before rolling his eyes. "You're lucky I'm so domestic." He picked up the man's plate, and started to feed him by hand.

"Something I'm quite pleased by," Andrew snickered, accepting the bite before sneaking a kiss to Danny's cheek. "Love you." Danny wrinkled his nose before pressing a kiss to the tip of Andrew's nose.

"Love you more."

"Impossible, but the thought is appreciated."

::

It was a bit of a struggle to wake up, Randy wiggling around and grumbling because he needed to wake up but he didn't waaaant to. Someone was giving him sweet, gentle touches and it felt so nice but _weakness._ A voice above him chuckled, sounding soft and sweet as the scratches to his scalp only changed to gentle rubbing. And, oh, alright, Randy was now heavily purring and arching into the touch and once again a limp pile of cuddly ghost. "You, mon chevalier, are much more cuddly than you used to be."

"'S yer fault," Randy complained, and, oh, right, yes, that was Andrew. Should he be moving? He felt like he should be moving- Oo, that felt so nice~ He would just...stay here, then. For a bit longer. Yes, this was fine. This was totally fine.

"And how is such a thing _my_ fault?" As he spoke, a blanket was pulled tighter around Randy's shoulders, and Andrew was shifting a small amount.

"'S yer fault cause I fell in love with ya," Randy complained, curling up in Andrew's lap and nuzzling at his stomach, looking like he wouldn't be moving any time soon. "You an' Danny both."

"Well then, that just means he shares the blame." One hand carding through Randy's hair, Andrew was using the other to read a book, looking completely at peace. Randy only purred quietly, looking like he was ready to fall back asleep at any moment. And maybe starting to a _little_ \- It was just very peaceful, hardly his fault he was so sleepy and relaxed.

" _Uuuugggggghhhhhh_!" Hearing Danny's groan of absolute pain, Randy perked up and looked over, struggling off Andrew's lap and flying over to flop down beside him.

"That is the sound of homework pain. Need any help?"

"I hate history." Danny was only slumped on the chair, his textbook close to falling off his lap. Randy quickly caught the book and looked at what he was studying, pulling the sheet of homework answers closer. Flicking his hand and summoning a book to hand, he flicked through the pages before handing it to Danny.

"Your high school textbooks suck. You know that, right?"

"Yeah, yeah, Andrew's said as much." His arm over his eyes, Danny went limp and tried to look as dramatic as possible. "This. This is going to be the real reason for the other half of my death. Not some big battle, or anything. _History._ "

"These are shitty questions," Randy agreed, teleporting some post-it notes to hand before tearing them and sticking them to the sections Danny would need to look over and study. "It's not you, it's mostly your school and the shitty way they teach."

"They're still gonna kill me with it." History, huh... His eyes flashed blue for a moment before he groaned and held his head. _Ugh._ Randy only quietly pulled Danny into his lap, curling around him and settling down, and, yes, cuddle captive. "My head hurts."

"You know what that means? Homework break." Randy floated them over to Andrew, settling down next to the man and nuzzling against Danny's cheek. And _maybe_ gently rubbing at his spine. Danny purred quietly as he settled down, his eyes a swirling mess of green and blue. He only stared off into space, the purrs fading out.

Noticing the strange behavior and eye color, Randy nudged Andrew curiously, eyes flicking to Danny as he gave a silent tilt of his head. Because this really didn't seem like a... _normal_ thing. Andrew glanced down to the teen before giving a sigh and scratching at his scalp. "You have to remember that for all intents and purposes, Clockwork is his ghostly father."

"That sounds very unfun," Randy frowned, rubbing at Danny's lower spine and nuzzling at his neck. His poor little halfa...he went through far too much. Danny seemed to come back to his senses, slowly going limp as his eyes faded back to green. Nodding, Randy smiled as he continued spoiling Danny, seeming quite pleased, because, yes. Danny deserved to be spoiled. Andrew rolled his eyes, looking amused.

"Honestly." Danny was only quietly purring with contentment, and nuzzling against Randy.

"I'm keeping him for forever." Randy decided, cuddling the teen closer. And maybe kissing Andrew's cheek. "Both. Keeping both of you for forever."

"Mm, that's fair, since we agreed the same about you while you were asleep."

"...That's fair."


	5. Star Deserves Better

**Authors' Notes**

 **Kit - Blarghy bloo due to who.**

 **Kas - Just three OH MY GOD JUST THREE MORE SEMESTERS AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA.**

 **Kit - I need more fudge I am going to get more fudge after this. KAS NO DON'T THINK ABOUT IT JUST DON'T DON'T GO THERE MAN**

* * *

Danny hopped over to Sam and Tucker with a small grin. "Hey."

"A miracle! He no longer looks like he's ready to kill us!" Sam slung an arm around Danny, dragging him into a half hug. "So, talk to your mate about your supposed problem, there?"

"...Yeah." And it wasn't wrong. He _did_ talk to Andrew about his 'problem,' and then they talked to Randy.

Tucker hugged his other side, grinning. "I think it looks like he sorted it out." Sam gave a nod, looking quite pleased.

"So it does! Care to share the details, there? Because you look _extra_ cheery. Like, GW just confessed, cheery."

"Well. He _kinda_ did."

Tucker rolled his eyes, nudging at Danny. "Come on, dude, tell us."

"Hm... No."

"Those two have corrupted you," Sam tsked, nudging them all along towards homeroom. "I mean, if you _don't_ want to trust your most bestest, specialest, perfectest friends with this knowledge, I guess you don't _have_ to." A pause, Sam giving him a look. "You're really alright though, yeah?"

The youngest of the trio leaned against her with a happy hum, slightly nuzzling. "Yeah, Sam. I'm great." This was just something...he wanted to keep to himself for a little longer. His own special secret.

"Then you don't have to tell us, we're all allowed our secrets, after all." A sudden move, Sam snatching Danny's phone and _running_. "Doesn't mean I can't snoop, though!"

"Yeah, if you know the password," Danny snorted. Sam seemed to take that as a challenge, already trying to crack the code.

It was lunch when Sam finally admitted defeat and tossed Danny's phone to him, looking irritated and frustrated. "I hate your stupid paranoia."

"Yeah, I know." Danny unlocked the phone before handing it back to Sam with a grin. Sam huffed, pulling up the music app and immediately downloading as many goth songs as she could. "I will restrict you from phone usage."

"Oh, that reminds me." Bringing her own phone out, Sam clicked around on the two for a moment before nodding. "You now have every Taylor Swift album ever."

"Yeah, okay." Danny picked at his lunch, blinking and huh. Was that cookie there, before? Well, his now. There was the barest hint of a snicker, followed by a tug to a lock of his hair. The teen blinked and looked around owlishly. When he looked back to his tray, there was _another_ cookie. Pouting, he munched on the cookie, unable to hide his smile.

Ridiculous Riters.

::

"How is there no incriminating evidence on your phone?!" Sam was frustrated, looking upset and huffy. "There's not even any embarrassing texts that I can use against you!"

"Because I like doing things in person. They're nicer that way. How much did you drain my battery?!" He pouted as he took his phone back, sticking it in his pocket.

"Not... _that_ much- So, Tucker! How about that new First-Person Shooter that came out!"

"Wow. Those words don't sound guilty _at all_." A familiar snort of laughter, and a weight against Danny's side. "Now I'm _glad_ I came to pick you up, if I get to see fun things like this." Danny stared up at the man for a long moment, looking confused before beaming and wrapping his arms around his waist.

"Hey!" Randy laughed at the reaction, ruffling Danny's hair in amusement before returning the hug.

"Yo, petit mec." A glance over to Sam and Tucker. "Yo. I'm Randy, but I don't think we've ever really met. Also, human illusions are great. Even if I do look sixteen, for some god-forsaken reason."

Tucker looked him over, giving a nod. "I approve. I'm Tucker, the she-devil is Sam." Tucker barely finished before he was squeaking in pain at the elbow to his side.

"Nice to finally meet you. Andrew's brother, right?" A moment of silence, Randy giving a slow nod.

"No." Danny paused, slowly nodding before turning the two invisible.

" _Go._ " A flash of power and they were in Vidya, the two landing on a startled Andrew's lap. Randy only cuddled Danny closer, looking pleased.

"We escaped from suspicious and confused humans."

"How much...power do you have?" Danny asked curiously. Because Randy had just teleported them. _Between worlds._

"Pft, like, none, hardly?" Randy snorted, combing through Danny's hair almost absently. "I'm just very good at using what I have to my advantage. Teleportation, shields, and my guns are pretty much the only thing I can do." Feeling a familiar sensation of glasses slipping down his face, he went dead quiet. "...I have...curls and glasses right now, don't I..."

Andrew was curling around him, nuzzling against the side of his head. " _You're so adorable_." And alright, he would admit he'd had a bit of a thing for the curls and glasses, in their lives.

"Nope! The curls have died!" Randy was slipping off a metal bracelet around his wrist and tossing it onto the couch. Snapping back into his normal form, he gave a nod. "Yes. Yes, much better." Andrew only gave a quiet 'aw,' still nuzzling against him.

"...I like both," Danny said diplomatically as he spread himself out across the couch.

"The curls will never return. I swear it," Randy huffed, kissing Andrew's cheek and nuzzling the spot. "Also, I have retrieved the Danny from the hell that is the American Education System."

"It's not _total_ hell. I mean, it's a great gossip mill." Randy only hummed, settling down in Andrew's lap and yawning a bit. Teleporting _was_ a bit taxing, after all.

"Gossip _is_ worth going through hell for, I suppose. Any new gossip that you feel like sharing, then? I promise I'll pretend to know the names of your classmates and even _try_ to care."

Danny laughed with amusement as he curled up a small amount. "Well, Paulina is still convinced she's in love with Phantom."

"Wow. What a bitch." Randy propped his legs up on Danny's lap, relaxing and settling down. "So, do we hate Paulina, or what?"

"Ohhh, yeah. You heard about the whole Kitty possessing a girl at school?"

"Ugh, she wouldn't _shut up_ about it," Randy groaned. "Kept complaining about the whole thing weeks afterward. So that girl was Paulina, then, right?"

"Yeah. She's one of the pop kids and she and Sam have this weird rivalry? I dunno, but yeah. She's a bitch. I think she has a _shrine_ to Phantom."

"That's...that's kind of worrying. Not gonna lie, it's a _lot_ worrying- Why the hell- Okay, I get it, I get hero worship. But a shrine? Seriously? Dude, that's just not right." Randy poked at Danny with his foot. "Give me more horror stories. I'm now invested in your school drama."

"Okay, so, her boyfriend? That's Dash."

"The stupid jock who torments you because he keeps failing? Ugh- No. Please do not tell me this girl is head cheerleader. Don't do it."

"She kinda is. And Tucker is into her satellite."

"Tucker, nooo. You could do so much _better_." At Randy's dramatics, Andrew was raising a slow eyebrow. "I'm drama deprived. I need this."

"Hey, no, dude, Star is like secretly a _genius._ When we had this beauty pageant thing, she did all my homework for the _next semester._ "

"Oo, the plot thickens."

"You two are _ridiculous._ "

"So, yeah, Tucker is into Star, Star's probably secretly into Paulina, Paulina's into Dash, and Dash hates my guts."

"This is intriguing me." Randy snatched Danny and pulled him into his lap, pressing a sweet kiss to his cheek - and he only blushed a little! Progress! "Please, continue."

Danny's face, meanwhile, was a bright green. "Ah... Yeah..." Andrew shook his head as he returned his attention to his book, and, really... This was certainly going to be something.


	6. Hexagonal Pattern Spread Over a Three Di

**Authors' Notes**

 **Kas - Okay, so this chapter LOOKS like it's unrelated and there's no reason for it.**

 **Kit - But there IS! It just...takes time to see it. A lot of time...**

 **Kas - But the best of stories all have foreshadowing and development, don't they?**

 **Kit - Plus cuteness.**

 **Kas - Yes. Plus cuteness.**

* * *

"Alright! Today I'm gonna teach you guys how to form bubble shields!" Danny was at attention immediately, blinking as he sat up. Andrew only rolled his eyes.

"Randy, I don't think I really _need_ to learn how-" Andrew and Danny had already been bubbled before they were all teleported to a slightly bigger area of the library.

"Nope! You need to have a good defensive shield for if you get into a fight. You know. Like when you and a halfa piss each other off."

Danny looked over to Andrew, tilting his head. "But we don't fight."

"Point remains! He might get into another fight with a pretty powerful ghost and need the shields. So, both of you are going to be teached in the way of bubble shields." Randy was grinning, looking quite pleased with himself, as he let the two go. Danny flopped to the floor, blinking and looking like a curious child.

"...Randall." Randy only smiled sweetly, floating into the air a bit and zooming around, looking to be thinking of where to start.

"Okay, I know Andy's pretty good with shields, what about you, petit mec?" Danny gave a small shrug, forming a thin green dome of ecto energy around Andrew. The energy shimmered, looking fairly moldable. "Pretty damn good, then." Randy flew around the shield, poking and prodding at it and seeming quite pleased. "Alright, so, good start point! With the bubble shields instead of focusing on a singular point, it's kind of what you're doing now. Molding it all around you. It's similar to a dome, but better for when you're in the air."

"But...It's really thin. It's like a sheet of paper." Danny only frowned, looking disappointed as the shield flickered away.

"Yes, but since it's made of your energy, even when the shields are thin they're _still_ strong. That's the equivalent of a metal shield, you just have the poor luck of going up against strong opponents." Randy nudged Danny up, wrapping another shield around him to let him see how it was made. "It's basically energy spread out all around evenly. If it's lopsided, it's easier to crack and break." Danny nodded, tapping the shield and tilting his head back and forth, his tail flicking behind him.

Andrew rose an eyebrow to Randy, shaking his head. "I hope you know now he's going to try to break it down into an exact science." Randy only blinked, looking pleased at the thought.

"Oo, right, scientist's kid. Yes. Yes, this pleases me. Science is good for this." Randy flew around the bubble, looking to be concentrating heavily before he was setting a hand on it, distinct points of white light lighting up all around the shield. "So, see those points? That's where I craft the energy, and from there, it spreads out to form the shield itself. Because of all the points, it's more stable than having one point spread out to form everything, like a dome shield." Danny blinked at the lights, his eyes narrowing as he tried to memorize the pattern, tilting his head with a quiet huff.

" _Hexagonal pattern spread over a three dimensional axis with a four foot radius to create a sphere._ " Randy gave a little squeal, near _cuddling_ the bubble.

"Andy I'm keeping him for forever he's perfect." Tiny little science nerd! "Ah, right, you haven't even seen the best _part_ of the bubble shields." Sliding off the bubble, Randy bounced to the middle of the room, looking to be concentrating before flicking his hands in an expanding gesture. The bubble around Danny spread out to wrap all around them and stop at the corners of the room, the lights staying for Danny's benefit. "You can manipulate the dimensions to fit whatever space you need."

Danny gave a quiet hum, running a hand over the shield. " _Equal spacing between each connected point even while expanding._ "

"Now you've started it." Andrew shook his head with a smile, leaning against Randy.

"I know, isn't it great?" Randy seemed quite pleased, looking to be concentrating again before flicking his hands, multiple, tiny shields wrapping around individual books and floating them into the air and in little patterns. "You can also move the shields and whatever is inside them, unlike most shields, which are connected to you or where you summon them."

"Except for other ghosts, and humans," Danny said more than asked, raising an eyebrow at Randy. Randy only raised his eyebrow in response, a flick of his hand sending Andrew and Danny a few inches off the ground.

"If it's in my shield, I can control it. Easy."

"Ahahah okay wow okay that's a thing." Randy only flew over to cuddle Danny to him and nuzzle at his cheek, Andrew being gently set down on the floor.

"Can you summon something icy? Just a small piece of it." Danny blinked at him, a small ice crystal appearing almost instantly. "...Holy shit that's actually really gorgeous." Randy set Danny down and started inspecting the ice crystal, looking delighted and curious. "I didn't know you were _this_ good with your ice powers!"

"What? I've had them for like a year." He shrugged, looking as though it were normal, a dozen more crystals just like it appearing around Randy, like an orbit.

" _Still_ ," Randy insisted, looking amused at the crystals before shields were wrapping around every single one of them. "Also can fuse shields together, and those inside." A flick of the hands, the shields forming into one with all the crystals inside. "Also they can be shrunk." Doing as he said, the shield shrunk to a very small level. When it was re-enlarged and shook, the _snow_ inside swirled around it like a snow globe. "Ta-dah." Danny grinned widely, taking the shield from him and giving it a shake.

"Cool." Andrew only shook his head fondly because really. _Really_ now. These two were _perfect_ for each other.

"Yup. I'd give it to you as a gift, but I can't keep up continuous shields, yet. I'm still working on severing it from my energy - sorta like what you do with your ice." Randy shrugged, slowly retracting shields from the books he had done earlier, setting each book in precisely it's right place. He also removed the one that was around them. "So, the biggest shield I can make would probably be..." A pause, Randy grinning. "I'm gonna teleport us real quick." And, yes, giving them warning was a thing he should do. Yes. Danny gave a nod, tucking the shield under an arm before clinging to Randy's with the other.

Laughing, Randy teleported the three of them to float just a bit outside of Vidya, the man looking to be concentrating before his eyes faded to a bright white. A second later and a _very_ large shield was wrapping around Vidya entirely, island and all. "Woah." Danny's eyes were flicking all around, taking in the sight as he clung even tighter to Randy. He stared at the shield, a small grin growing before turning into a beaming smile.

"Yup, that's about as big as I can make them, at the moment." Randy's eyes were still a bright white, the man flicking his hand as bright points of light appeared around the entire shield. There were _many_ more than there had been on the shield he had shown Danny.

"The lights stay the same distance apart," he was quick to point out. It was... _beautiful._ Randy managed to keep it up another minute or two before it seemed to dim, finally flickering out, Randy taking a breath to steady himself.

"Woo, forgot how tiring that was."

"That was _amazing._ " Danny was only looking up at Randy as though he were _everything._ "Do you think you can teach me to do that?"

"That was the plan," Randy grinned, teleporting them all back to one of the sitting rooms, flopping onto the couch with the two of them. Pausing, he gently took the shield around the snow and fiddled around with a few minutes, looking to be concentrating fiercely. A moment later and he was beaming brightly, holding it back out to Danny. "For you."

Danny took it, holding it close as he looked up at Randy. "What'd you do?" Randy flopped over onto the couch, stretching out and letting himself rest for a moment.

"Severed it from my energy but kept it to where it won't ever break. Wasn't _too_ hard, just took a bit of messing around for me to finally get it. And maybe modeling it after your ice powers. But, yes. Everlasting snow globe." The teen beamed and carefully set the bubble aside before curling up on top of Randy, looking content as he quietly purred.

Andrew gave the two a smile, ruffling Danny's hair, then Randy's. "If you were trying to make him fall _even more_ in love with you, it's working."

"...I mean, I'm not against that happening," Randy coughed, blush bright on his face as he cuddled Danny and scratched at the teen's spine. "Also, I forgot how tiring it is to conjure so many shields for so long."

"Well, it seems like you could use the practice," Andrew said with a laugh as he sat on the opposite side of the couch. Danny only purred a bit more loudly, his tail curling around Randy's wrist.

"Complain, complain," Randy huffed, kicking his legs up on Andrew's lap and settling down, giving gentle scratches to Danny's tail. The teen stretched out a bit, similarly to a happy cat as he nuzzled against Randy's chest.

Andrew rolled his eyes, poking at Randy's shoe. "Yes, you do that quite often." Randy hummed, settling down even more and making himself quite comfortable, changing the scratching into rubbing.

"Don't forget the cruelty. I am also quite cruel."

"I can tell." Danny was a pile of quietly purring goo on Randy's chest, completely spaced out because _that felt so nice and he felt so warm and safe and everything was..._

Perfect.


	7. Assassins are Hot

**Authors' Notes**

 **Kas - Let me be the first to say that White Fang and the Priest are hot.**

 **Kit - I love this chapter. So much. I love these scenes. This one turned out better than the one in Substitute!**

 **Kas - The same Substitute you need to finish and post? Like TCC?**

 **Kit - *violently gestures to constant rps***

 **Kas - *vionetly gestures to school where I can't rp***

 **Kit - *VIOLENTLY HUGS YOU***

 **Kas - *VIOLENTLY HUGS YOU BACK* I LOVE YOU MAN**

 **Kit - I LOVE YOU TOO MAN**

* * *

Everything was not perfect and Danny hated finals.

Most of the class looked to have already given up and was passing notes, texting on phones, or quietly reading. A select few were laying on the desk and looking like they had failed everything and were slowly coming to terms with that fact. Sam was only quietly flicking through a book, having finished a while ago, while Tucker was stacking his pens into a tower. It was unclear as to whether he was finished or not. Danny whined, flipping through his test packet one more time. He'd...given an answer to everything, at least.

It was a few more minutes until a voice was ringing over the classroom. "Pencils down. The tests are going to be collected now." That got a few reactions in people jolting and trying to scramble things down, Tucker whining as his pen tower went crashing to the floor and rolling everywhere. Danny slumped in his chair and held the test out to the teacher, not willing to look. God, he was going to fail and have to repeat the class and not graduate and-

"Alright, that's it, you guys are free." The teacher was setting the test packets down, dramatically opening the door. Although the clock showed they still had ten more minutes until school 'officially' ended. "Early dismissal. You're seniors and it's the last day, there's not much more I can do to make you suffer."

Danny rolled his eyes as he stood up, slinging his backpack over his shoulder. "Gee, thanks. I'm so honored." Before the teacher could nag him, Sam and Tucker were herding him out with the others, Sam shaking her head.

"Well _someone_ is in a mood. We studied for _weeks_ , I know you can't have done that bad."

"I forgot literally everything." Danny groaned as he held his head in his hands. "Sam, I forgot _literally everything._ "

"Aw, come on, man, I'm sure you didn't do that bad," Tucker reassured, wrapping an arm around Danny's shoulders and leading him towards the front doors. "I mean, I spaced a bit too, so if you end up going down, I'll be following after. So either way, no worries!"

"Yes, I'm sure that's _so_ helpful to him," Sam snorted, patting Danny's back. "I'm sure you did great, Danny."

"Yeah, I guess. I just really don't wanna go through summer school-"

"Daniel James Fenton." An unfamiliar teenager with white slicked hair and a wicked smile was standing on top of the nearby lamppost to the school, looking...not human. "Time's up, Fenton..."

Danny narrowed his eyes, and...was that... "How do you know my full name?"

"You should be careful of what you tell to others, dear little Fenton." A flash and the teen was in front of the trio, the students who were watching - near eighty - looking startled and surprised. "You should be more careful when making deals~"

"Making...what deal," he answered cautiously and ooh. They had a plan. A plotty plan.

"Ignorance is not for those who know more than they should, sweet human." This time the voice came from behind him, nearby students jerking back and skittering away at seeing a different teenager, this one with black hair and just as wicked a grin. While the first teen looked...feral, this one looked prim and proper as could be, his outfit looking like something a preacher's child might wear. Or a preacher himself.

Danny took a step back from the two, narrowing his eyes. "I don't know what you're talking about. Who are you?" Just play along and don't smile or laugh, Danny.

"Come on, Fenton, ya didn't think it was _coincidence_ did ya?!" The more feral of the two was stalking around Danny, herding him away from his two friends and cutting him off from everyone else, grin positively _beastly_. "The most well known ghost hunters in the _world_ \- And no ghosts ever went _near_ 'em?! You knew what you were gettin' into. You knew what you gave when you made that deal."

"I was fourteen," he argued back, trying to get away from him. "It was four years ago! I thought you forgot!" A light chuckle, the one who looked like a priest giving Danny an amused look.

"'Forgot'? Creatures like us don't forget our deals. We did as told. We did as _contracted_. No ghosts ever harmed your family. Not a single one. You wanted your family protected, and we did, and now...you're no longer a child, dear human." The two teens had cut off Danny from any chance of escape, backing him against the wall of the school and away from everyone. "Our deal has 'expired', as it were..."

"Just like you." The white-haired teen had Danny pinned against the wall, almost no space between them as he grinned.

"No! No, I thought you meant college, I thought I had a few years, I-"

"We were generous enough as it was. We gave you your teenage years. We gave you time with you friends. We let you grow up. Now, however, little human, it's time to give us what you promised..." The other teen had Danny's head tilted up by two fingers under the chin, dark and smug smile on his face. "You had to have seen this coming."

"N- No. I'm still a teenager- I haven't even graduated, yet! I've never- never-" The two teens were grinning _wickedly_ , each looking like a dark reflection of the other.

"Killed? Oh, don't worry, sweet little human...you'll learn quickly~" The white haired teen was hardly inches away from Danny's face, his tone near a _purr_. "We'll teach you _all_ you need to know, dear sweet little human~"

Danny gulped and okay his face was a bit red. He tried to compose himself as much as possible. "And if I refuse?"

"Then there will just be one more restless spirit your parents will have to deal with, now won't there?" A sweet smile, and a cooing voice. "Don't worry, little human, we'll take _such_ good care of you. After all, we _hate_ it when our toys get broken..."

Finally, someone spoke up, "Hey! Let him go!"

"I'm afraid not. You see, this little human is ours now, and we aren't too keen on giving up what's _ours_." The black-haired teen ruffled Danny's hand in a mock gesture of fondness before glancing to the other. "Shall we escort him back, then?"

"With pleasure~" Danny was once again completely pinned against the wall, unable to move an inch. "Allow us to escort you to your new abode, former human. We promise to take such good care of you..." With that, Danny was jerked into a sharp, demanding kiss, the other teen looking amused as he glanced to the other students looking on.

"Do keep this to yourselves, yes? After all, even if you were to tell... Who would believe you?"

Just like that, the three were gone.

Transforming into his ghost half almost absently, Danny was blushing a bright green, his eyes wide because oh dear, he hadn't been expecting that. Randy, on his part, was blushing just as much, illusion fading off of him. "Ehe, so, how was your day."

"I... Ah... Huh?" Andrew only laughed, letting his own illusion fade as he pecked Danny on the lips, and then placed another kiss to his cheek.

"Apologies for not giving a warning, but we figured your last day of high school should at least be one to remember. That and Randy was quite excited by the idea. Although I must admit, I didn't expect that last part of his 'performance'."

"Hey! Kiss of Death! It's a legit thing that fit the moment!" Oh, lovely, Randy's entire face was flushed. Danny was only standing and looking rather blank, staring off into the distance because wow. That was nice. That was- Okay. He was fine.

"Aw, your first kiss between the two of you. How adorable," Andrew cooed, Randy quietly bubbling him and tossing him - gently - towards one of the couches.

"Go fuck yourself."

"Why would I do that when I have you two to do it for me?" And oh. Danny's face was brighter. Randy's face was also a bright, glowing white, and oh, look at that. Andrew had disappeared from the room. And maybe been teleported all the way to Liz.

"If I'm lucky, Liz's booby traps will go off and hinder him for a good few hours." A huffy sigh, Randy glancing to Danny. "Want something to eat until dinner?"

"That- That sounds good. Yeah. Yeah, that." And okay. He was just going to- Invisible. Yes. He was just going to hide. Randy nodded and looked to just hover in the air for a few moments, looking to be thinking about something.

"Hey, um...Danny..." The man sounded rather...nervous, fiddling with his sleeves and blush coming back. His voice was also rather quiet and soft. "Could I...kiss you again?"

Danny's invisibility flickered out as there was a quiet squeak. "Y- Yeah. That-" He cleared his throat because _wow_ that was a voice crack. "That's fine." Randy gave another nod, flying over to Danny before cupping his cheek, the two blushing as brightly as could be. Hesitating a moment, Randy leaned forward to place a soft, gentle kiss against Danny's lips, hand on his cheek pulling him a touch closer. Danny gave a small shiver, leaning closer and this was...nice. He wasn't as warm as Andrew, but still far warmer than his ice core.

A few moments of this and Randy was deepening it a small amount, free hand resting on Danny's hip as he pressed even closer. He was near utterly _lost_ in this sweet little teen that had helped to completely capture his heart. Said teen was relaxing against Randy, his lips quirking upward a tiny bit into a small smile. This definitely felt nice. Whether it be with Andrew, or Randy, he always loved the gentle, quiet moments.

"Aw, how sweet! I got back just in time to see your second kiss!" The two were breaking apart at once and blushing brightly, Randy bubbling Andrew and tossing him towards the kitchen.

"You have no soul!" Danny was only fading back to invisibility and groaning as he flew off to a different part of Vidya. Whhhyyy him. "You are a cruel, evil, _horrible_ ghost, Andy!"

"I love you, too, sweetie," he called happily.

"Uugghh!"


	8. Danny Catom

**Authors' Notes**

 **Kit - I don't know why I wanted a pond in this story. But I love that pond.**

 **Kas - The pond is nice. And yes, distract from the other part of the story.**

 **Kit - ...It's not...that bad... OH LOOK! A MONKEY!**

 **Kas - Sorry for the short absence by the way, we're trying to pick it back up! If you want something to read in between updates, we've got a couple complete Undertale stories on this account!**

 **Kit - *narrows eyes* Did...did you just plug our stories on an update in another fandom...**

 **Kas - Enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

"Hey, Randy?" Danny had his head laying in the man's lap, looking up at him and blinking.

"Hm? What's up, petit mec?" Randy, who had finally been dragged in to sleep in Andrew and Danny's bedroom, was absently running a hand through the teen's hair.

"Is it alright if I ask you something?" The teen looked rather relaxed, quietly humming.

"Only if it's alright if I brush your hair," Randy shot back, still carding through the hair with his fingers and trying to untangle the knots he found. The teen gave a quiet laugh, and a nod. "Shoot, then. What's on your mind?" Flicking his hand, Randy summoned a brush and shifted Danny, easily starting to brush through the teen's hair.

Danny was quiet for a long moment, looking to be thinking of his question. "What was it like to die?" A few moments of silence, Randy blinking before he looked down to Danny in confusion.

"Uh...is this a question that has context? Cause, I will admit, I was not expecting that question from you." It wasn't like it made him angry, but it was a bit startling.

Shaking his head, Danny shrugged. "Nevermind, it was stupid." Randy tugged on a lock of his hair, smiling down at him.

"It's not stupid, and I can get why you would ask. I was just curious." A pause, Randy looking to be thinking over his words. "Death...is different for everyone. How could it not be? We all experience things so differently, why not something as important as this? For me, it... It..." A trailing silence, Randy's actions slowing for a moment. "I knew it was poison... Before I drank it, I knew what it was." Danny tugged on Randy's hand, holding it close as he stared up at him, his eyes shining with curiosity.

"I was...in a bit of a bad place, in those days... It wasn't long after Andy and I left the Sect, and we were trying to fit into normal life and I..." A bit of a bitter smile, Randy's thumb rubbing circles on the back of Danny's hand. "I didn't adjust very well. There's a reason I'm always off on so many jobs, after all... But that's not your question, now was it?

"For me, and what it was like to die, it...was painful." A pause, and a nod. "Very...very painful. They all say it's quick, and painless, and that you don't feel a thing. Maybe a sharp prick, and you get your tunnel of white light. What a fucking lie...

"It burned. I've been poisoned before, I've worked with poisons, ever since I was a kid...but they overdosed it even more than they were supposed to. They fucked up spectacularly." A shake of his head, tired smile on his face. "It was like swallowing flames, a form of acid that scorched everything. Didn't even get the pleasure of passing out. I was conscious and awake through the whole damn thing.

"Vaguely heard people screaming and cops being called and 911 and all that shit. Someone rolling me over onto my side so I could breath and didn't choke- Kind of wished I did. At least with asphyxiation it ends. This...felt like it never would. It did, though, eventually. After feeling like I was skinned alive, my guts pulled out, and my throat melting, it ended... When it did it felt like a joke without a punchline. Consciousness going out, vision had stopped working, pretty sure I couldn't breath, and at the end with the pain starting to worsen and fade at the same time and all I could think...

"Is that it? 21 years of pain and suffering, of slaughtering hundreds, of committing every goddamn sin there's ever been and that's it? The pain of breaking down and being torn apart and some darkness? What a goddamn joke..." Letting out a sigh, Randy slowly relaxed, letting the tension drain out of him. "It's different, for everyone. For me, it was painful, and merciless, and a joke on all that I had ever done. A poison master killed from poisons..."

There was a small tug to his hand, Danny cuddling it close and pressing a kiss to the palm. "How did you feel? When you woke up in the Ghost Zone?"

"...Lost." Randy tugged on Danny until he had the teen in his lap, the older kissing his cheek and curling around him a bit. "I never believed in life after death...how could I, after all I had done? I thought once I died...that would be it. And then I woke up here with no idea what had happened. All I knew was that I was lost, confused...and more scared than I had been in a while."

Danny leaned against him, looking surprisingly calm, considering the topic at hand. "And...now? Are you okay, now?" Because he really did care about Randy a lot. And he wanted to know if the man was ever worse off than he said - just like how he was with them.

"...I'm getting better," Randy finally spoke, cuddling Danny closer and sneaking a quick kiss to his lips. "You two really have no idea how amazing you are, and how good you are for me. I am getting much, much better, the more I'm around two such perfect souls as yourselves."

The teen gave a quiet laugh as he settled down a bit more. "Yeah, well... You two rubbed off on me."

"I suppose," Randy hummed, shifting Danny and back to brushing his hair. His hum turned into a quiet little tune under his breath, the man looking utterly relaxed and peaceful. "Hey, Danny?" Danny hummed back, trying to keep as still as possible for Randy, while one hand clung to the man's shirt. "I'm in love with you." Danny gave a quiet purr at that before pouting.

"Nooo, I was supposed to say it to you!" Randy only chuckled, kissing Danny's cheek.

"Guess I'm just quicker on the draw." Setting the brush down, he dragged Danny up to the bed and flopped on top of him, nuzzling under his chin. "Perfect mate." That only caused Danny to purr, again. Randy chuckled, wiggling around a bit and dragging the blankets over them. And, yes...

He could get used to nights like these.

::

"Aaanndddyy." Danny flopped onto Andrew's lap, blocking his view of the laptop screen. A pause, and a heavy sigh, Andrew closing the laptop and switching it's place with Danny.

"Daaannnnyyyy." Andrew poked at the teen's side. "What is it that's upset you this time, mon cher?"

"Randy kicked me out of the gardens for the day." He curled around Andrew's hand, looking pathetic. Andrew chuckled and brought the teen more into his lap, kissing him sweetly before pecking him on the cheek.

"Oh? And is there a reason Randy kicked you out of the gardens?"

"No. He wouldn't tell me." The teen leaned against him, slightly nuzzling at his neck. "What have you been working on, out here?"

"That, my dear, is very top secret information." Wouldn't due to spoil Christmas gifts early, after all. "Speaking of Randy, however...how have you been doing with everything?"

"Besides the hell that is school, everything's been...perfect." Danny seemed content, shifting until he was properly sitting in Andrew's lap. Andrew rolled his eyes but easily adjusted until Danny was happily curled up on top of him, the older tracing little swirls down his spine.

"That's certainly a good way to describe things." Because, really, with Randy here, everything really had been perfect...sure there were still fights and petty squabbles and getting on each other's nerves...but it felt complete in a way it hadn't before. At the soft touches, Danny was giving a hum and nuzzling against Andrew, holding his other hand close.

"What have you thought, then? About everything?" A moment of pause, Andrew seeming to think things over before giving a nod.

"Perfect." Seeing Danny had his tail at the moment, Andrew gave a bit of a wicked grin as he rubbed circles near the edge of it, where it connected with the hips. "Certainly the only word I can think of to describe everything." Danny gave a shiver, leaning further against him and oooh, that felt nice and purring. He was purring pretty loudly.

Andrew snickered, happily continuing to switch between rubbing circles and tracing swirls across the tail, still cuddling the younger close. "Enjoying summer break so far, mon cher?"

"Hm? Mhm." Seeing as he'd been spending nearly the entire break with the two people he cared about most, he was very much enjoying it.

"Well, that's certainly good." And, alright, Andrew might have had a bit too much fun when it came to spoiling Danny. He was in his right, however, considering Randy did the same. Thinking of Randy...oh, he really was too cruel to them. "And have you had any more sweet little kisses with Randy, lately? I'm all ears, if you wish to chat about it."

"Mm, mhm." They had stolen a couple small kisses from the other here and there, but Danny really couldn't find it in him to articulate that little fact. Too bad. Andrew only huffed, and, really. He couldn't even spoil the teen while embarrassing him to death. How rude.

"You, my dear, are certainly something."

"'M your somethin'." Alright, maybe a little out of it.

"Yes, you certainly are- Well, mine and Randy's, I suppose." Adorable little halfa. "...He really kicked you out of the gardens?"

"Mhm." The teen nuzzled a bit more against Andrew. That was fine. It just meant more time with his other mate.

"Such a riveting conversation this is, truly." Rolling his eyes, Andrew settled down with Danny in his arms, and, really, a small nap wouldn't hurt too badly.

Of course, the next thing he was aware of he and Danny were inside a familiar white bubble, Randy happily bouncing ahead of them while toting them along. Danny blinked, noticing the horrible torture had stopped and oh. Bubble. Randy. Okay. He settled back down, quiet purrs still rumbling through him. Andrew was only quietly staring at Randy with narrowed eyes. "...Why."

"I have a surprise!" Randy beamed brightly, leading them into the garden and flying around near the back, bubble following after. A few moments later and the two were set down gently on the ground, Randy gesturing grandly to a rather large pond that curved around the trees and flowers, sunlight flicking through the leaves to land on the surface in incredible patterns. "I made a pond! Well, Vidya helped a bunch, so, technically, we made a pond!"

Danny blinked. He tilted his head to the side before crawling out of Andrew's lap and towards the pond. He stared into it for a moment before batting at the water curiously, his tail flicking. A moment of pause, Randy pointing to Danny. "That? That is the most adorable thing I have ever seen- It physically hurts how adorable this kid is."

Andrew snickered, shaking his head as he stood at Danny's side and looked into the pond. "Well, I suppose we do call him a cat for a reason."

"Such an adorable little kitten, too," Randy cooed, floating down next to Danny and pecking him on the cheek. "But, yes, we now have a pond for summertime fun, and all that. Midnight swims, skinny dipping, and hazing- Or maybe that was just my college. I dunno."

"I'm fairly certain that was your own experience, Randall." And really, the water was so reflective, almost like a mirror. "Where did you get this water from?"

"...So, you know how I can teleport between worlds and my bubble shields can hold a lot of weight? I might've...borrowed from that one lake near the forest." A tiny cough. "I made sure not to get anything living in it, though! All water creatures were returned to their proper habitat." A moment's pause, and Danny was crouching down close to the ground, his eyes narrowed at the pond and his tail giving small flicks.

A ripple of the pond and a koi fish was lurking near the surface, looking to be studying them before it was flicking away back towards the bottom. At Andrew's look, Randy gave a beaming smile. "Ghost koi fish, so, technically not living." Danny's eyes only remained trained on the fish as he leaned back a bit, ready to pounce at any second. "...You were messing with the tail, weren't you."

"No, why would I?" A splash, and Andrew winced. "Maybe a little." Randy only sighed and floated over to fish Danny out of the water, hovering over the pond and phasing the water off of him.

"You alright there, mon douce?"

"...I didn't catch it." Danny looked disappointed, though he leaned against Randy happily.

"They are indeed very tricky to catch," Randy snorted, flopping onto a spot of sunny grass, half laying over Danny. "I am now going to not move for forever, because that was exhausting." Danny hummed, one hand trailing fingertips in the water as he gave a small smile. His tail curled around Randy's waist as the teen settled down to resume his nap.

With a smile of his own, Andrew took off his coat and set it over two of them before sitting against a nearby tree, in a spot of shade. A nap wasn't such a bad idea.


	9. Time Is A Punk

Kit - I love human Clockwork. So much. / **Kas** \- Uh huh. I'm sure. / **Kit** \- Don't. Don't you dare. / **Kas** \- I'm not saying anything. You're just being super defensive. / **Al** \- Imitation is flattery, and all, I guess. / **Kit** \- FUCK YOU BOTH

* * *

 **Chapter Nine**

 **::**

Danny grinned widely from where he sat, ignoring the strange looks he was getting from his classmates. When the tassel fell in front of his eyes - again - Danny was giving a huff and blowing it away. While the valedictorian talked - Star to the surprise and pride of many - Danny glanced around the bleachers to look at the various parents, siblings, and friends of those in attendance.

It wasn't hard to find his own family considering the jumpsuits, and another glance showed Randy and Andrew were in the top bleachers looking their best. Andrew was happily recording the scene while Randy was waving furiously at Danny, beaming brightly. They, too, were getting a lot of strange looks from the seniors. The Fentons, Jazz included surprisingly enough, were sitting next to them, Maddie waving just as much as Randy and cooing about her baby boy while Jack blathered on about how proud he was to anyone who would listen. When Danny glanced around, he looked a bit startled to see someone around Jazz's age make eye contact with him. The man looked a bit like a punk, and was hiding in the shadows as much as he could. He only gave a smirk, which held quite a bit of pride, and a respectful nod to the teenager before disappearing.

Before he could question it too greatly, Star was wrapping up her speech and letting the teachers take over, names being called out and diplomas given. The teen sat back up with a wide grin, absently straightening his robes and grinning to Tucker. It wasn't long before they were calling Danny's name, gesturing for the teen to join them on stage. Danny stood, nearly tripping over his robes as he went up to the stage mostly composed, and received his diploma.

There was polite clapping from the audience, very _clear_ cheering from Randy and Jack, and then the sound of Andrew and Jazz forcing the two cheering ones down and hissing for them to shut up. Danny gave a laugh, waving at them and noticing his classmates' bewildered expressions.

The rest of the graduation went much like that, seniors getting called up to accept their diplomas and be told their honors and where they had chosen to go to college, for most of them. The moment they were released, Danny was bouncing up from his chair and trying to be one of the first ones outside, throwing his cap in the air.

The joy in the air was near _tangible_ , the grounds a mess of people catching up with others and trying to find their families. Before Danny could attempt to do the same, a familiar body was crashing into him and hugging him tightly, their cheeks rubbed together. "Danny! That was great!"

"I know!" Danny laughed and nuzzled back, wrapping his arms around Randy tightly, and then his legs as he made the other carry him. Randy laughed but easily toted the teen back to the others, still happily nuzzling against him.

"Also, did you see how many looks me and Andy were getting?" Randy was snickering to himself, seeming _vastly_ amused. "It was _great_."

"I know, everyone was _totally_ freaking out!" Danny slipped down once they reached the group, and hugged his family. "That was totally great!" Jazz was the first to snatch him up in a hug, nuzzling the top of the teen's head.

"You did amazing, little brother! I'm so proud of you!"

"Jazz, I thought you had class, today! Did you fly all the way out here?!"

"...Maybe." Jazz coughed, pushing Danny towards Jack and Maddie. "Hey, look! Our very proud parents who wish to congratulate you and change the conversation!" Though the teen laughed, he launched at his parents in a hug. Jack and Maddie were eagerly catching him, going on about how proud they were. Jazz, meanwhile, was looking to Randy. "Randy, right? I don't think we've met too many times."

"Ah, no, not really." Randy gave the woman a polite smile _and he wanted escape_. "Nice to see you again."

Jazz looked him over and gave him a smile. "You're much less sarcastic and bitter than Andrew. I approve." An offended tsk from Andrew a few feet away, Randy only snorting.

"Merci, but, really, I can't take credit for that. No one can be as bitter as _Andy_ , after all." At another offended noise Randy was snatching Andrew in a hug, rubbing their cheeks together. "Aw, it's okay, Andy, _I_ still love you for it!" Jack and Maddie were prattling to Jazz about everything she'd missed as Danny tilted his head. With everyone distracted, he snuck off to find-

"Hello, Daniel." A glance to the person he had bumped into showed it was exactly who he had been looking for. "Having a good day?"

"...Clockwork?" Danny grinned widely as he blinked up at the man.

"Of course. I would have hated to miss your graduation, after all." Clockwork gave a smile, looking rather amused. "Although I figured a little discretion was advised, unlike you and _your_ mates." There were still some strange looks being given to Andrew and Randy by the seniors.

"Heh. To be fair, they were going to come no matter what. Besides, what can I do? Not show up to my own graduation?"

"I suppose," Clockwork laughed, ruffling Danny's hair. "You've done _very_ well, with everything. I'm proud of you."

"You know that you're almost as much my dad as like... _Dad_ is, right?" Danny clung to Clockwork's hand, looking up at him.

"I was somewhat aware," Clockwork chuckled. "So, what are _you_ plotting right now, then?" Because Danny was always plotting _something_.

"Nothing." Danny pulled on his hand and led him on. "Mom, Dad, this is the Master of Time!" Clockwork looked slightly panicked, mumbling under his breath in ghostspeak.

" _Ah, Daniel, I believe you're getting timelines mixed up again. They aren't supposed to know anything about your ghost life, yet._ " Goddamn young timekeepers. This was retribution, it had to be.

"...Oh yeah. Still! You needed to meet Mom and Dad and Jazz eventually!" Danny only continued on, looking **DETERMINED**. Clockwork only tried to subtly escape, Andrew and Randy happily caging him in.

"Master of Time, huh? The nicknames you kids come up with these days," Maddie laughed, looking amused. "Well, it's nice to meet you anyways. You must be a friend of Danny's, right?"

"...Yes." Clockwork had no shame in admitting he was slightly terrified of Maddie Fenton. "It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Fenton." He was going to destroy Danny, after this.

Jack was grinning widely, and clapping the man on the back. "So then, what's your name?" Danny was next to Andrew, trying to hold in his laughs because _this was beautiful._

"Ah... Markus...Wurk." A nervous smile from Clockwork, who looked like he'd be disappearing at the nearest chance. "It's...German."

" _German,_ " Jazz said, raising her eyebrow at him.

"...Yes." All Fenton women were vicious, he feared each and every one of them. "It's...very old German." Out of the corner of his eye, Danny saw Dash and Paulina whispering to each other, and staring at Danny. Gulping, he inched his way behind Andrew and Randy, hiding from his parents. Here goes.

"Hey, Fenton," Dash called. Keeping eye contact with them, Danny went invisible while clinging to Randy and Andrew. Considering the mess the grounds were in, no one but Paulina and Dash seemed to notice, the former giving a startled shriek of surprise that caught a few's attention. Randy, glancing back at them, only gave a feral smile, eyes flashing red before he was turning his attention back to Jazz.

"Oh, my, look at the time." Clockwork smiled nervously, making no move to look at a clock or watch of any sort. "I'm late! Excuse me, but I must be going, it seems."

"Yeah, maybe we should go, too," Danny whispered to his boyfriends. "Like, now. Go now. And terrify them."

Andrew smirked, nudging Jazz. "A distraction of your parents, please?" Jazz snorted, waving him off.

" _That_ , I am _very_ good at. Mom, Dad! Is someone stealing the RV?!" Jack and Maddie were whirling around and darting for the parking lot at once, Clockwork already gone because _fuck no_ he wasn't dealing with this anymore. "I'll help!" By the time Jazz left, most, if not all, of the senior class was sneaking looks at Andrew and Randy, Danny's invisibility giving a small flicker.

Randy glanced back at the other's looks, feral smile back on his face as his illusion flickered to show his ghostly form, aura flaring around him. "See you all soon." With that, the three were gone. In Vidya's garden, Randy seemed quite pleased with himself. "Good enough terror?"

" _Perfect._ " Danny was already visible and in ghost form, floating up to sweetly kiss the man's lips. "Thank you, Randy." Randy, only a _bit_ dazed, blushed a little before nuzzling their cheeks together.

"Mhm, of course~" Andrew quietly cooed.

"How adorable!" Danny only rolled his eyes and gave Andrew an equally sweet kiss, a bit less soft. Andrew, a touch startled, only smirked before happily kissing back. Rolling his eyes, Randy debated on whether to shove them into the pond or not. Deciding he had nothing to lose, he quickly phased Andrew's coat off, as well as nicking Danny's phone and wallet, before shoving them in.

"Happy graduation!" Danny, in the pond, looked incredibly confused before hopping out and shaking himself off.

"Rude." Randy only laughed, phasing the water off him before kissing his cheek.

"French, love. In fact, Andy is probably going to try and drag me under in the next second. Of course, that would be if I hadn't bubbled him _before_ shoving him in." Andrew _did_ have that childhood fear of water getting in his ears, so Randy had been very careful of that before shoving him in. The top of Andrew's bubble had just barely breached the surface of the pond, the man only glaring at Randy from inside. "Look at it this way, you didn't get wet."

Randy was floating over the bubble and levitating it up to rest on the surface of the pond, grinning as he nudged it to roll across the top of the water. "...I love my shields. So much." Andrew was only sitting on the air in the bubble, looking to be pouting more than anything. "Would you like out, then?" There was a pause, Andrew glancing to the bubble before giving a shrug. He actually found that being in Randy's shields...were rather relaxing. "Then you shall stay out on the pond to float. Revel in your sins." A pause, Randy looking to Danny. "...Should we have _told_ your family you were leaving?"

"Eh, they're used to me disappearing out of nowhere." He waved it off before hanging off Randy's shoulders. Randy blinked but rolled his eyes, messing around with his powers for a bit before conjuring a half shield that rested and bobbed on the water. Nodding, Randy nudged Danny in it, kicking the shield and letting Danny float across the water.

"I vote we stay here for forever and never leave." He had already flopped over Andrew's bubble shield, laying across the top of it and clinging like one would to a beach ball. Danny nodded and looked satisfied, curling up into a small ball, looking similar to a mouse in a teacup. "That? That is extremely adorable." Andrew slowly floated down to the bottom of the bubble shield and laid down, looking content. It was nice, to know that Randy was protecting him. Whether it be from water, or from anything else.

A few moments of peaceful silence and then a flop of weight on top of Andrew, Randy nuzzling against him and curling around him, kissing and nipping at his neck. Andrew quietly purred, looking amused as he nuzzled back and held Randy close. Danny opened an eye, watching the two of them with a smile. They were both _adorable,_ especially together.

Randy only grinned at Andrew's purrs, quite delighted by the sound as he kissed and licked at Andrew's neck, fingers rubbing gently at the tip of one of the ears. The man gave a shiver before his purrs got louder and he was nuzzling against the top of Randy's head, his arms wrapping around the other's waist. A bit of shifting around and Randy flipped their positions, tucking Andrew close to him as he nipped and sucked on one of the ear tips, fingers gently rubbing at the back of the younger's neck. At the feeling on his ear, more than his neck, Andrew was giving a sound somewhere between a purr and something else as he moved his arms up to wrap around Randy's shoulders.

Danny rolled his eyes, leaving them to whatever as he turned the opposite direction. His tail hung out of his half-shield, and the tip was just barely skimming over the top of the water. And, yes...

Today had been a _very_ good day.


	10. White Fang's White Fang

**Kit** \- I adore the collar and the violin more so. / **Kas** \- I bet you do. And I do so love the violin scenes. / **Kit** \- LET'S DO THIS LINDSEY STERLING STYLE BIT- Wait what's that supposed to mean? Oh...oh. Never...nevermind. Just...nevermind. / **Kas** \- By the way, Nomi is the one that wrote out the violin scenes so credit for all that perfection goes to her! / **Kit** \- kdls;agjads;gafafas

* * *

 **Chapter Ten**

 **::**

"So...Liz kicked me out." Randy was sitting in the middle of the floor in the front sitting room in Vidya, a variety of boxes surrounding him. "I went over today and she threw all these at me and said to leave her in peace to torture wayward souls because I had become _domestic_."

Danny looked to one of the boxes curiously, flipping the lid open. "So...is she still your lair? I've never heard of a lair kicking their owner out."

"Liz is...certainly something," Randy snorted, looking through the boxes and seeming to be taking inventory of everything. "So, yeah, she's _technically_ still my lair, but I'm not allowed to come back unless Vidya kicks me out." A pause and he was levitating near a hundred glowing books into the air. "Also, this is now a peace offering. They're all the books I've found while on jobs." Vidya gave an exasperated little hum because as if they didn't have _enough._ But she still appreciated it. She dropped the number of books onto Andrew who was in another room, violin notes falling out happily.

The youngest laughed along with her before going through the box he'd nudged. "So, is there any order to all of this?"

"If there is, it's not one that I know of," Randy snorted, digging through another box. "It's all... Like, okay, there are my sketchbooks in that box over there, and I think that one has all my bracelets and stuff, so I guess...there's a _bit_ of order to it?"

"You had bracelets- Woah. Back up. Sketchbooks?" Danny flew over to the box he'd pointed out and dug through it, his eyes wide at just how _many_ there were.

"Hm? Oh, yeah. I never told you I did art?" Randy barely glanced up from the box he was digging through, looking amused. "You can go through them if you want, but I gotta warn you, they're kinda old." Danny opened up the first one, looking to Randy as though he were _perfect._

" _Oh my god._ "

"Alright, you two. Why was I trapped under a pile of books?" Randy waved at Andrew, who was looking slightly ruffled.

"They're a peace offering, cause Liz kicked me out. So, yeah, you're kinda stuck with me for forever now. Sorry about that." One of the boxes suddenly moved in the moment of silence. "Don't touch that box."

"What...is in it?" Andrew carefully nudged the box, looking apprehensive. The box jumped again, Randy snatching it up and tossing it out the front doors. It bounced down the steps a few times before disappearing over the side of the island.

"Nothing you need to worry about, now. Don't worry, it's fine. It's handled. So, yes. Hi. I am now here until you kick me out."

Andrew only snorted, rolling his eyes. "Weren't you already?" He floated over to Randy, kissing the tip of his nose. "You're helping me sort those books, later."

"That's fair," Randy nodded, returning the kiss with a quick one to the lips. "So, wanna help box sort? Cause...I think I lost Danny to the world of art." Going back to where he had been sorting, Randy blinked as he started digging something out, looking delighted. "Ha! I knew I still had this!"

"Still had what?" Andrew glanced over to Danny. The teen was lost gazing at the pictures as he flicked through the sketchbook on the couch, the rest in the box and at his feet.

" _They're so pretty._ " Randy snorted, fiddling with something in his hands before he was moving to click a collar around his neck. A small charm of a white fang hung from around it, Randy looking like he'd be wagging his tail if he had one.

"That's one way to describe them, I guess. And this. The collar. The thing you gave me _forever_ ago." Andrew tilted his head, examining the collar, and gently picking up the charm.

"...I remember this. I'd found it on a mission and I thought it reminded me of you." Randy only hummed, leaning against Andrew and giving a tiny little purr.

"Well, you weren't wrong. It _does_ fit me rather wonderfully, after all."

Smiling softly, the younger gave the collar a small tug. "It does, doesn't it?" Randy only hummed, following slightly after the tug and looking just a _touch_ dazed, and, oh, right. That was why he had stopped wearing the collar. Because Andrew did that a lot and Randy was very _weak_ to collars. "So, where do you want to start, then?" Andrew was looking over the boxes, glancing up to Randy.

"Hm? Mhm... Oh, yeah!" Ahaha, blushing? Him? Please. "Probably...actually doesn't really matter where we start. It's all gonna get sorted, and nothing is really priority. Especially since I already have some clothes here."

"Alright. You start over here, I start over there, we work our way to the middle?" Andrew looked to barely notice, only tilting his head curiously.

"Ah, I forgot you were clueless about that..." Truly, he and Danny were so good together. "Yeah, that'll work." Randy flitted over to the other side of the boxes, already flipping them open and going through them, and, wow, lots of stuff. Giving a nod, Andrew did the same.

Near an hour later, Danny was tugging on a lock of Andrew's hair, and getting his attention. Andrew curiously tilted his head, looking at Danny and giving a hum to show he was listening. Danny held out a cup of coffee and gave him a smile. "Lunch break." Once Andrew took the cup, Danny was flying over behind Randy and pausing. Had he always been wearing that? Or those bracelets? He gave the collar a tiny tug, looking curious.

At the tug, Randy was snapping out of what he was doing at once, gaze flickering to Danny as he gave a little head tilt, complete attention on him. "Hey, time for lunch. What's up with the..." He tapped the...choker? Necklace? Not really sure what to go for, there.

"Collar? It was something Andy gave me when we were kids, figured I'd start wearing it, again." A small gesture to the charm. "Was called White Fang for a reason, after all."

"Huh..." Danny gently took Randy's hand and pulled him up, leading him to the kitchen. "Come on. You need to eat."

"Fine, fine," Randy was quick to scoop Danny up, nuzzling against him for a moment before continuing on. "So, what _is_ for lunch?"

"Sandwiches, and- No, yeah. Sandwiches. I wasn't gonna touch the stove or oven, like, at all." Randy snorted, letting the teen go and getting a plate for himself, happily munching on one of said sandwiches.

"Fair enough. I'm guessing your cooking turns out like my baking, then?" Because Danny had told him horror stories of Fenton cooking.

"Yeeaaah. I can make stuff like sandwiches, and cereal, and microwave stuff, though." Danny sat down on the table with his own plate in his lap, nibbling on his sandwich.

Andrew gave him a smile. "Well, thank you nonetheless for making lunch." Sitting down at the table, Andrew was happily pulling Danny into his lap before nuzzling against him, Randy snorting in amusement at the two.

"Yeah, well... _Someone_ had to save you two from your frenzy. Who better than the hero?" Danny nuzzled back, looking content. "Hey, Randy, where'd you learn to draw?" Randy blinked at the question, looking to be thinking it over for a moment.

"I just kind of taught myself, I suppose... There wasn't a lot of recreational stuff to do back in those days, so I'd just scribble and draw on whatever I could find. Gave me something to do. Saw a lot of scenery, too, and then put that together with my memory, and a lot of the stuff I drew turned out pretty damn good." A small shrug. "It just kind of happened, really."

Danny smiled from his incredibly comfortable seat in Andrew's lap, looking just the tiniest bit shy. "Do you...think you could teach me?"

"You draw?" Randy perked up at that, looking _very_ much interested. "Also yes, I'd love to teach you."

"Yeah... I'm a pretty good _drawer._ " As one, Andrew and Randy both looked _pained_. Andrew was the one to quietly cover Danny's mouth, shaking his head and sighing heavily.

"Why do you always hurt us, mon cher." Danny's eyes only brightened, making it obvious the teen was grinning as he leaned back against Andrew, looking up at him sweetly through his lashes. "Your cuteness will not always save you, my dear."

"But admit it's saving him now," Randy pointed out. Andrew only huffed, curling around Danny even more and resting his chin on the top of the teen's head.

"Never." Or at least, he'd never _admit_ it. Danny only gave a happy hum as he continued eating his sandwich, his tail wrapping around Andrew's waist.

"You know, you should eat, too, mon ange."

"Oui, oui, you little hellion," Andrew snorted, returning to his own food. And maybe poking at Danny's side to try and annoy him a _bit_. Randy rolled his eyes, watching the two in fond amusement, and, yes...this was much better than spending all his time away from them. The poking got a startled giggle out of the teen before he was returning it was a poke of his own and kissing Andrew's cheek.

"Hurry up and eat. I have a surprise." Andrew rolled his eyes but continued eating anyways. It wasn't very long until they were all done with their food, Andrew still cuddling Danny close to him.

"Alright, so what's this 'surprise' of yours, hm?"

Danny glanced up to Randy with a sweet smile. "Look in the fridge." Randy raised an eyebrow but flew over to the fridge and did as told, looking around before giving a little gasp of joy.

" _Fenton fudge_." He had already swiped the container and brought it back to the table, munching on a piece and looking _delighted_. The halfa looked just as happy, nuzzling against Andrew.

"I made a run back to the house and grabbed some while you two were distracted." Grinning, Andrew took a piece of his own, breaking some off and feeding it to Danny, following it with a kiss.

"That's very sweet of you, mon cher." And, alright, Andrew might have snagged a _few_ more kisses, but, really. Danny kisses. Danny looked perfectly fine with this, holding his arms out to Randy because he didn't want Randy feeling left out. There were plenty of kisses - and plenty of fudge - to go around.

"A miracle. I think Andy just made a borderline pun," Randy snickered, holding his arms out to Danny and happily taking him for a hug, nuzzling against his cheek in delight. Danny kissed at the man's cheek, happily humming as he snagged his own piece of fudge. His tail flicked and curled, almost wagging as he munched on the small treat. "Daw, you're _adorable_." Randy nuzzled at Danny's cheek again, curling around him and snagging a sweet kiss. "Adorable little halfa."

Said halfa gave a quiet purr, "Your halfa." Randy grinned, curling around the teen happily and giving little scratches to his tail, Andrew watching in amusement, and, really. Adorable. Danny gave a small shiver before leaning against Randy and nuzzling up to him like a happy cat, purrs rumbling out of him.

"So, I'm just wondering here, but is it too late to kidnap him for the rest of summer?" Because Randy really did not want to let go of this adorable little halfa. At all. Ever. "Or for forever?"

"Well, he _is_ going to be at college, and that typically is when teenagers move out of their parents homes, is it not?" Andrew was only looking happily amused. Randy blinked at that, looking down to Danny and nudging him. As well as stopping the tail scratches so he could think.

"Sooo, Danny. Feel like moving out and coming to live with us?"

"...Didn't I...already?" Danny was narrowing his eyes and looking to be thinking very hard about this. Randy snorted, looking vastly amused as he kissed at the teen's neck. And _maybe_ giving it a small nip.

"Well, you might as well have, at this point." Which, yes, that was something he was very pleased about. "Hope you don't mind putting up with us, Vidya dear." Danny and Vidya each gave a delighted hum, for different reasons. And yes, this was just fine.

::

"You have a violin?"

"N...Nooo." Randy coughed, looking up from where he was sorting through the last of the boxes. While most of it had been sorted, there were still things that were scattered around here and there. "I'm holding it for a friend?"

Danny held it carefully, tilting his head this way and that. "It's really pretty." Randy only hummed, glancing up at the pure white violin before looking back down what he was going through. Just don't let Andrew walk in, and it would be fine. Just don't. Let. An-

"Oh, you found your violin! I was wondering if you'd kept that." God fucking dammit. Randy groaned from a pile of boxes, looking _pathetic_. Stupid evil violin and stupid evil Andrew who was looking entirely too pleased.

"Yeah, yeah, it's not like I ever really throw anything away. Besides, I don't even _play_ it anymore." Well, sometimes he did, but never _seriously_. Danny glanced back up at him before staring at the violin.

"Do you...think you could? Just one song?" Randy glanced over to Danny at that, and he'd really, _really_ rather not give more ammo. Because, really, he was a punk type. Not...all...aristocratic-y.

"I mean, I _could_ , but it looks like my bow's lost. Such a shame."

"Oh," Andrew called, looking all too pleased with himself. "Here it is! And it's been taken care of so well, too." _Dammit_. Okay, think, you're a genius, Randy. You could get out of this.

"...But my rosin." There was no way Liz had packed _that_ into the boxes. In fact, it had probably been thrown away forever ago.

"It was right next to the bow."

"...Fuck." Flying up, Randy grumbled to himself as he flew over and snatched the items, spreading rosin on the bow for a few moments before twirling it around his fingers rather expertly. Nodding at the weight, he floated the violin over to him from Danny's hands, plucking at the strings and adjusting the tune. "Alright, alright, I'll play a song. Any suggestions, or requests?"

Danny shrugged as he sat back, looking near entranced. "Whatever you think is best." Randy rolled his eyes but sat back in the air, posture much like Andrew's as he spun the bow again, looking to be thinking of what he wanted to do. A few moments of this and he was drawing the bow across the strings, frowning at the sound and adjusting the strings once last time.

Quietly humming to himself, he plucked at the strings, notes matching par for par as he weaved the humming into his playing. Bow sliding across the strings in a long drawn out note, the gentle start was all but forgotten as he launched into a tumbling array of notes and chords and sounds, weaving it all together into something that should have clashed but flowed together marvelously. At its crescendo the song was near stopping, notes stuttering out quietly and hypnotically, echoing around the room and weaving the moments of silence into the song itself. A moment later and it was back to it's multitude of notes, Randy looking utterly relaxed and peaceful as he played. All too soon and the bow was sliding across the strings in a final note that rang across the room beautifully, Randy twirling his bow again and looking quite pleased. "Ah, such perfect, clear notes. I've so _missed_ this violin!"

While Danny stared at him in shock and wonder, Andrew only smiled and wrapped Randy up in a light hug. "You sound as wonderful as you did in life." Randy, instead of blushing, only smiled brightly and pecked Andrew on the lips.

"I suppose I rather forgot how much I enjoyed playing." He didn't seem to notice a somewhat French accent had slipped into his words.

Andrew gave a quiet laugh, looking absolutely love stricken. "Your music is almost as beautiful as you, my darling." He easily picked up the accent, barely noticing the way it flowed into his own words.

"I'd argue, but we both know you're stubborn enough that you would win," Randy chuckled, floating Danny up into the air and flying over to peck him on the cheek. "Would you like to hear another song or two, my sweet?" Danny gave a small smile and a nod, his hand reaching back to grab something that...wasn't there. Huh. Weird. Randy and Andrew didn't seem to notice, Randy teleporting them all to the piano room. "You know, Andrew, darling, my playing would be _so_ much better if I were to have some accompaniment."

Andrew laughed, but sat down at the piano anyway. "I suppose if you really insist." His fingers ghosted over the keys for a moment before he was softly smiling, and starting a quiet song. Randy carefully set Danny down on the bench next to Andrew before sitting in the space left - he did so love this large bench. Settling to where his back was against Danny's shoulder, Randy easily got into position, weaving the violin notes into Andrew's song when it was time to join. Danny watched the two in awe, looking amazed as he watched Andrew's hands fly across the keys.

And, yes, _this_ was just...

Perfect.


	11. Kit Is Addicted To Writing Makeouts

**Kit** \- ...I really love makeout scenes. / **Kas** \- Mhm. / **Kit** \- Just...I don't have any defense for them. I just...love to write them.

* * *

 **Chapter Eleven**

 **::**

"Randy, darling, do you know when Danny's supposed to be getting back?"

"Um...a couple hours or so, right?" Randy looked up from where he was still sorting through boxes, having finally found _the_ sketchbooks. "Also I have some things for you when you get time."

Andrew gave a quiet hum as he set his laptop aside, looking to Randy curiously. "What is it?" Randy glanced to the pile of sketchbooks - near twenty - before giving a slow nod.

"My descent into the obsession with your books." Digging through the pile, and knocking it over, he teleported one of the more aged ones over to Andrew's lap. It was heavily worn and filled with crinkled paper, an effect of the water colors that had been used. "You need to stop writing so well."

"I think not." Andrew flipped through, blinking up at Randy. "...You did all these?" Randy gave a little nod, nudging and gesturing to the other sketchbooks.

"There...might be a little over twenty... I mean, a good dozen all have to deal with Soundless Clock, but the others are just sort of bits and pieces from all your _other_ works." A nervous smile and shrug. "You _did_ make me proofread the manuscripts for you a lot."

The younger only looked back down at the pictures, tucking the sketchbook a bit closer as he smiled. "I love them. They're beautiful." Oh, lovely, Randy was blushing. That was a thing, then. Blushing.

"I mean, I wouldn't use _beautiful_."

Andrew only looked back up at him for a moment. He closed the sketchbook and held it close to his chest with one arm as he flew over to Randy, gently cupping his cheek with the other hand. " _Perfect._ " Oh, lovely, he was blushing even brighter.

"Well, I mean, I _did_ use your books as inspiration for everything, so that's probably a reason why they're so perfect."

"I wasn't talking about the art. I was talking about the masterpiece." Randy's face was now completely glowing white, the man trying to bury his face in his hands. And maybe whining. Very loudly.

"You're so cruel- That. That was just so very cruel." Giving a laugh, Andrew tilted Randy's head up, and caught him in a soft, sweet kiss.

"I'm so very in love with you. You know that, right?" A startled moment of pause, Randy giving a quiet chuckle as he smiled softly.

"I know that...it's just very nice to hear, is all." Randy snatched Andrew's shirt and tugged him into a longer, deeper kiss, motions utterly _adoring_. "Je t'aime aussi, mon cheri."

And there it was. The feeling of everything falling into place so _perfectly_ and just the two of them curled closer to each other with nothing warming their hearts but their love for each other. How could it not just...

Click?

::

In the kitchen of the Fenton house, Danny was looking around with a bit of startlement and what...was that?

::

In Vidya, however, Randy was blushing brightly and looking _much_ more startled, looking at Andrew in a mix of confusion, startlement, and adoration. "What...was that."

Andrew laughed, leaning his forehead against Randy's. "That, mon chevalier, is what Danny and I so eloquently refer to as a 'click.'" Randy only gave a vague noise of confusion because...what.

"Uh huh. And what, exactly, is a click? And why was there a click? I am confused- I am very confused, Andy." Confused a lot because everything felt...so perfect. Maybe not completely, but like things were finally starting make _sense_ , and click into place.

"That feeling? Of things finally falling in place and being perfect? _That_ is a mate click." Andrew kissed him sweetly, laughing as he pushed Randy to the floor, curling up on top of him and nuzzling against him.

"That- Ooh, that...okay." Because even if logically he _knew_ they were all mates, it still... He hadn't expected _that_ to ever- He thought he would just sort of be... _there_. A step behind them at all times- And he was fine with that! He really was! He just...didn't expect to ever... _really_ be theirs... "That makes some sense." He swore he would set Vidya on fire if she dared relayed his thoughts.

"A bit, yeah." And Andrew was acting near Danny-levels of affectionate because...he got to spend his afterlife with the two people he adored above all else. Who wouldn't be happy? Randy shifted and squirmed a small amount, looking a bit startled, and, huh...

"You are very cuddly, you know." That...was strange. For a moment, it felt like his feelings of warmth and love and _obsession_ hadn't been... _his_ feelings. Almost like someone else's... Then again, that was a bit impossible, so it was probably just him imagining things. Probably.

"Of course I am," Andrew answered simply. "I'm with you." Randy sighed as dramatically as he could, tilting Andrew's head up to press kisses to all over his face, arms tight around him.

"That was illegal, you know. Totally illegal."

"Ooo, I guess you'll have to cuff me and throw away the key," Andrew teased, looking proud of himself. Although he was expecting Randy to blush, instead of looking blank and silent. "...Randy? Randy, that was a joke." That startled Randy out of it, who was nervously blushing and laughing.

"Aha, of course it was! I know that much! Come on, Andy, I'm not _that_ bad, aha. Total joke." Although for a second there he wasn't picturing _Andrew_ as the one tied up. "Heh." Andrew rose an eyebrow, looking more amused, than anything.

"Uh huh. So, are you going to look at these sketchbooks with me as we cuddle on the couch like an old married couple?" Best to just let that lie. Didn't want to rush things.

"As if we haven't been mistaken as one before," Randy snorted, floating himself up and grabbing a random sketchbook. Flying over to the couch, he settled them down, still tightly curled around Andrew as he nuzzled at the man's cheek. "I'm in love with you."

"And I, with you, my love."

::

"Sooo. Randy. When...is your next job?" Because Randy was near _bouncing off the walls._ It almost reminded...him... Hm...

"Um, I dunno." Randy was flying in little circles around the garden, darting from place to place and bubbling whatever he saw that was moving. That mostly meant it was the lions, who were 'playing' with him. "I don't really have any job offers I've been keeping track of, lately." The koi fish had now been bubbled - with water - and were floating around the pond.

"...You keep saying I should practice my skills just in case, yes?" Andrew was watching Randy because wow. No. He had far too much energy, and they had to use that energy _somehow._

"Oo, do you wanna practice with bubble shields more?!" Randy was suddenly in front of Andrew, the younger unsure if he had just flown that fast, or if he had teleported.

Andrew gave a quiet laugh before starting to walk out of the garden, certain that Randy was following after him. "Sure, Randy. I could always use a bit more work with them, and you know those shields best."

"Yup! Shields are my best thing I'm good at- I mean, only thing I'm good at- I mean, I have my guns I can use with energy and stuff, but shields and stuff are- Yes. Yes, we should totally have you practice more cause _what if_. You never know when a fight is gonna happen!" The bubbles around the koi fish and lions popped, letting the animals go. Randy was only zooming after Andrew, zipping around him in little circles. Andrew caught Randy by cupping his cheek and pulling him into a lingering kiss, nipping at his bottom lip before pulling away and continuing on.

That earned some giddy giggles from Randy, who blushed and smiled sweetly as he followed after Andrew, looking utterly adoring. As they passed through a sitting room, Danny rose an eyebrow before settling back down with his book and looking amused. Randy only paused to shoot Danny a happy wave, back to following after Andrew and looking ready to start bouncing off the walls again. Andrew wrapped his hand around Randy's, holding it close. "I'm honestly surprised you hadn't found the practice room beforehand."

"Practice room? What's that- Wait, you mean a training room? You have one? In Vidya? I didn't know you had a training room in Vidya- Oo, are we going to the training room? I haven't trained or fought with you in _forever_ are we gonna having sparring matches again it sounds fun like as long as we don't use weapons cause that seems terrible idea but it seems fun yes you are adorable. You are like. So adorable. And perfect. And mine. Perfect adorable mate. My pretty little priest." Randy was rambling and purring as he nuzzled against Andrew, looking _adoring_.

Andrew looked startled for a moment, staring down at Randy and _interesting._ Normally, Randy _hated_ mentioning things like that about their past lives. And yet...maybe he didn't resent it as much as he led on. "So, so, so, where's the room? Are we close? Are we near it? Why can't we go back to the gardens? I liked the gardens- Okay, so maybe I was annoying the fish a _bit_ but I think the bubbled fish looked kind of cool- I should experiment with detaching shields from my energy more and just saving things for you guys that I find- LIKE BIOMES! Dude, no, okay, like I see a lot of plants when I'm out but I'm afraid of hurting them or killing them before I get back so maybe I should bubble it and make a little biome and then bring the plant back and then we can replant it."

"We're not _extremely_ near it. I try to keep it away from other things, that way if anything ends up happening, it minimizes the damage. I'm not sure about your idea. I don't know enough about your shields to know if that would be at all effective, but we should try it. Perhaps we try with some of the human world flora, that way it's something we know, and we can study the effects accurately." Andrew was easily able to follow Randy's ramblings as he tugged him along, giving him a small nuzzle back.

It wasn't too long until they were in the room, which was indeed out of the way of the rest of the library. As soon as they were in the large stone room, Randy really _was_ bouncing off the walls, zipping from place to place and looking all around, studying the dimensions of the room and looking _ecstatic_. "So, you like it, then?" Andrew chuckled, looking amused by Randy's erratic bouncing.

"I love it! This is great!" Randy zoomed around the room a couple times before looping back to Andrew, hovering in front of him. "So, what are we gonna do? Shields? Guns? What? What we gonna do? We- We should do something. We should totally do something."

"Well, the _plan_ was to practice shields. I'm guessing you'd like to go first?" Andrew was bubbled in a split second, Randy having not even _moved_. The man was only continuing to hover, looking like his tail would be wagging if he had one. Andrew only gave a small nod before kicking his shoes off, and then taking his glasses off. "Bubble them." Randy widened the bubble until they were both inside it, three more bubbles appearing to wrap around Andrew's shoes and his glasses, Randy looking quite pleased by this 'game'. Tapping the shields, Andrew narrowed his eyes. "Thicker."

A small pause and Randy was doing as told, making all of the shields a few inches thicker, as well as darkening them a small amount by effect. "Can you make them transparent?"

"...Maybe." Randy looked to be concentrating, hand running down the shield they were in before it was suddenly completely clear, as if there was nothing there. A moment later and he was doing the same to the other three. At this point, the older's eyes had become a glowing white color.

Cupping Randy's cheeks gently, Andrew spoke softly. "Randy? How are you doing?" Randy raised an eyebrow, looking a bit startled and amused at the soft words.

"Fine. Should I not be?" The man tilted his head, looking a bit curious. "It's not like I'm using much energy."

"You're always going on about how you don't have much energy. I suppose I'm just worrying." Smiling sweetly, the younger leaned their foreheads together. "Can you make ours smaller?"

"Yup. That's one of the easier parts, making them _smaller_." A flick of his hand and the shield was shrinking around them quite a bit, leaving them sitting on the base of it as they floated in the air. It was a bit hard to tell how small it was, however, since it was still completely clear.

Andrew gave a quiet sigh at the intimate space before looking back up at Randy. "Can you shield things that are farther away?"

"As long as I know what it looks like, where it is, or can feel the energy, yeah. Haven't done it much, so if you pick something, try to make it something inside Vidya."

"I was planning on it. Try putting a shield around Danny. You remember where he is, oui?" Randy nodded, closing his eyes a second and staying completely still before he was flicking his hand in a sharp motion. There was a pause, and they heard Danny whining from farther down the hall. Andrew quietly laughed, kissing the tip of Randy's nose. "I would tell you to try my core, but... You've already stolen it."

"...Aw..." Randy snatched Andrew and tugged him into his lap, curling around him tightly. "You're so cute!" A sweet kiss to the side of the man's neck. "Want me to release Danny, now?"

"Mm, if you want. How are you feeling?" Andrew nuzzled back against him, holding onto Randy's hand. Randy easily linked their fingers together, settling down more in the bubble.

"A bit less likely to challenge the lions to an honor duel, so that's something," Randy snorted, the shield around them darkening to show it was a bit smaller. Randy was only pressing sweet kisses to Andrew's neck, giving a sharp nip or two. "Something tells me this was more than just you wanting to 'practice' shields."

"Mm, a bit," Andrew agreed as he tilted his head for Randy with a smile. "I thought you might like a way to use your energy that didn't include destroying the gardens."

"Considering I was bubbling the _fish_ , that was probably a good idea. I guess I was going a bit stir crazy," Randy snorted, giving Andrew's neck a few more bites, and lingering longer. "Any other ideas for my shields, then?"

Humming quietly at the lovely sting, it took Andrew a moment to answer. "You were able to make your shields clear. Try making them opaque." Randy paused at that, nodding before he was doing as told, the shield around them becoming a thick white bubble that couldn't be seen out of. Settling down, the older returned to nibbling at Andrew's neck. And _maybe_ possibly marking it up a _little_. Andrew gave a quiet purr, "Very good. I can tell you practice often."

"Well, it's good to have my shields as practiced as possible, for when I need them. You're always telling me how good defense is, after all." Randy seemed quite delighted at Andrew's praise, giving the man a few more overly sharp nips. Andrew gave a gasp, and there was a long moment of silence before he was back to purring and nuzzling Randy.

"I'm just now realizing it'd probably be more impressive if I could see." A quiet chuckle, Randy removing the bubble around Andrew's glasses and catching them gently. Slipping them onto the man's face, he paired it with a soft kiss to the lips.

"Better?" And, alright, he might have already been back to marking up Andrew's neck. It was hardly _his_ fault Andrew was slightly addicting.

"Better," Andrew said with a shaky sigh because really now. It just felt _so nice._ "Did you ever unbubble Danny?"

"...Oh, right." Another sharp flick of his hand, Randy nodding. "He's fine." Probably. And, whoops, was he rubbing little circles into Andrew's sides? How terrible of him, truly. And alright, Andrew may have been shaking a bit as he leaned against Randy with a huff of a breath, his fists balled in the man's shirt. "Something wrong, darling?" _Revenge_. Okay, well, less that, more that Andrew's reactions were _very_ addicting.

"N- No, I- I'm fine." His cheeks were starting to turn purple at the attention that was being lavished upon him, Andrew soaking up as much as he could. Randy only hummed happily, kissing, licking, and sucking at the bites he had made, fingers rubbing just a touch deeper. And, really, it was so _nice_ to have Andrew bubbled away in his shield, unable to have anything bad happen to him. Very, _very_ nice. Well, this certainly hadn't been how Andrew had expected things to go, but he wasn't arguing. "I- Ah, _Randy._ "

"Hm? What is it, darling?" And his hands _might_ have slipped under Andrew's shirt, but, really, it wasn't like he was being _too_ cruel- Alright, the sucking over the pulse point might have been a _touch_ cruel, maybe. Andrew gasped, quietly moaning the man's name as he pressed closer. And, yeah, okay, maybe Randy was getting a bit carried away. Pulling back, he shifted them until he had Andrew tucked under his chin and safely settled in his lap, arms wrapped around him. "Okay?"

Andrew's eyes near half closed, he gave a nod as he leaned against Randy, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "I'm fine, Randy." Better now that the man stopped his _attacks._ Randy only sunk down in the bubble more, dragging Andrew with him. A moment later, and he was quietly giggling.

"I still have your shoes bubbled."

Andrew gave a small wiggle of his toes before shrugging. "I'm alright without them, for a bit." Randy laughed a bit more, tucking Andrew closer to him and nuzzling the top of his head.

"You're _adorable_ , mon petit chat noir."

Andrew paused, wrinkling his nose as he looked up at Randy. "What?" Randy laughed, pressing a peck of a kiss to Andrew's nose, wrapping around him a bit more.

"I used to call you that all the time, when you were little, you know." Of course, that had been a _very_ long time ago.

"No- I remember, I just didn't know you had remembered." Andrew looked like a startled, confused woodland creature, messy hair and all. "What?" And, really, was Randy _not_ supposed to kiss him.

"I remember everything about you, Andy. I always have." Giving a nuzzle, Randy let the bubbles around them fade, snagging Andrew and his shoes before happily flying them off. "Come on, let's go make lunch, since Danny is probably lost in his book."

"...Probably."

"Definitely. Let's change that to definitely lost in his book."

"Alright."

"Love you."

"And I, you."


	12. Why Is There A Pond In The Library?

**AN: Uploading this chapter as a birthday present for Queentree123! It's gratuitous fluff, and something perfect for a day like today! Happy birthday.**

* * *

"Hey, uh... Randy?"

"Hm? What's up, petit mec?"

Danny was lingering closer to the doorway, looking the tiniest bit nervous. "I...have something for you." At that, Randy was getting of the couch and curiously flying over, wrapping Danny up in a hug and nuzzling their cheeks together.

"Oh? Tell tell, I'm curious, now." Randy gave him a sweet smile, looking utterly adoring.

"Ah..." Danny only held something out to Randy, absently rubbing at the back of his neck. "I just- I noticed that you wear the tooth all the time so I thought maybe you'd want to... You know." He hoped Randy knew, because he barely did.

Randy blinked at the small charm that Danny held out to him, the symbol the same as the one he wore on his hazmat suit. Picking it up gently, Randy slowly smiled until he was beaming, looking to Danny in delight before quickly kissing him. Lingering quite a bit longer than he usually did, he finally parted with a sweet smile, and a bit of a blush. "Help me put it on?"

"Oh, yeah." Danny helped with the charm, tugging on the collar just the slightest bit as he did so before releasing it and giving Randy a smile. Randy was only drawing him into another kiss, hand cupping the back of his neck and deepening it a small amount. And, really, it was ridiculous how obsessed he was with this silly little teen. Danny's smile grew as he pressed back into the kiss, hearing the gentle sound of the charm hitting the tooth with the small movements.

Parting, Randy barely let any space come between them before he was pressing soft, gentle kisses all over Danny's face, tone utterly adoring. "I'm in love with you. Very, very, _very_ much."

Danny gave a quiet laugh. "Yeah, I hoped so. You know how I was super moody and stuff before you came back from that two week job?"

"Two and a half week, technically, but yes. I remember the moodiness," Randy chuckled, scooping Danny up and carrying him over to a couch, cuddling around the teen and nuzzling against him. "What about it?"

"It was because I was upset I loved you just as much as I loved Andrew." Danny nuzzled back, kissing at the underside of his jaw.

"...Aw... Aaww." Randy was near _beaming_ as he covered Danny in kisses, clinging to him tightly. "I hope you know that you are now never getting rid of me. You're completely stuck with me. For forever stuck with me."

"Perfect," Danny mumbled. And it was. Everything was absolutely, without a doubt perfect. He had Andrew, and now he also had Randy and he got to keep both of them. Everything was just coming together so nicely, and instead of just his ghost half, he could feel it in his entire being. In everything he was, he felt a...

Click.

A quiet, startled moment, Randy the first to smile widely before he was chuckling and tackling Danny to the couch, dragging him into another deep kiss. "Absolutely perfect...now I get to keep both of you."

Danny laughed, barely parting to speak. "I was going to say the same." And...he wished it could always be like this. Absolutely nothing but warmth and laughter and his two mates at his side. But...summer didn't last forever.

"Danny? You alright?" Randy twisted them around to where Danny was pressed between him and the couch, the ghost quietly nuzzling at his cheek.

"Huh?" He blinked at Randy before giving him a smile. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. I just want this to last _forever._ "

"As in this specific moment, or summer," Randy smiled, looking as if he already knew the answer. He also might have been back to giving Danny fluttering little kisses.

"Is yes an answer?" Danny hummed happily, pressing a couple kisses of his own to Randy's face.

"I suppose it can be," Randy chuckled, catching Danny in a kiss on the lips, lingering for a few moments. "You know what you _haven't_ done this summer, yet, though?"

"Well, summer's barely started," Danny pointed out before relenting, his voice soft and barely there. "What?" A flash and they were suddenly in the air, and in front of...the pond.

"Pool day." The wicked grin Randy had on could be _heard_ , the tip of Danny's feet just barely brushing against the water. Danny squeaked, his arms and legs wrapped tightly around Randy as he stared down at the pond. "Would you like this pool day better if you didn't have to get wet?"

" _The water wants my soul._ " Randy snorted before forming another half-shield like he had before, gently setting Danny down inside it before adjusting it so it was floating and bobbing on the water. Nodding, Randy toted him out into the sunlight, smiling down at him.

"Better?" Danny smiled and kissed Randy sweetly.

"Better." He curled up similarly to the last time they'd spent the day like this, his tail trailing and making ripples in the pond. Randy smiled, looking quite pleased before he was flicking his hand in a sharp motion, a suddenly bubbled Andrew appearing in the pond, laptop clutched tightly to his chest.

"Pool day. You don't _have_ to swim, but garden time is required. Also sorry if I startled you." Andrew gave a quiet huff, his eyes flicking to some of the nearby fish before he tried to go back to his writing. Tried being the key term as he kept getting distracted by just how beautiful the pond looked from inside it.

Randy seemed quite pleased, nodding, and, really, not _that_ much water had been displaced. Okay, so enough that Danny was still drifting around on little ripples of waves, but _still_. And, hm...now he kind of wanted to swim. He wondered if his old swim trunks were around here...

By the time he came back, it looked as though Danny were already asleep, his tail giving small flicks and flicking water out and into the air. Andrew was watching the fish and the pond more than anything else, looking near entranced. Randy couldn't help but snicker, very amused at the sight, and, really, he couldn't help himself.

Slipping into the pond - and thankful he didn't need to hold his breath - Randy knocked on the side of the bubble Andrew was in. And, alright, he _may_ have had a shit-eating grin on his face. Andrew stared at him for a moment, looked back down at his laptop, then after a long silence turned away from Randy in a total 180. From where he lay, Danny gave a quiet snort, his eyes slit open. Randy only popped back up to the surface so he could snicker, looking wonderfully amused as he floated near Danny's own little float. "Havin' fun?"

Danny gave a tired little nod, looking as though things could not be more perfect. "Mhm." Smiling softly, Randy looked to be focusing for a moment before a small little bubble of water - fish included - floated into Danny's view before bopping him on the head. Danny blinked as it fell into his lap, only giving Randy a blank look, paired with a tilt of his head.

"Well you have to enjoy the fish _somehow_ ," Randy grinned, giving Danny's float a small nudge so he was drifting off again, keeping the fish bubbled for a while yet. Nodding, he floated out of the pond and flopped down in a brightly lit area of grass. He was clearly sunbathing, eyes narrowed to a slit as he watched his two mates, fingers trailing just barely into the pond. Danny seemed to be pawing at the bubble with confusion, his head tilting this way and that.

Andrew was only watching the fish as they went by before narrowing his eyes and accidentally speaking aloud. "Where's Smokey..." Danny glanced to his bubble, where an all black fish swam before hiding it behind his back and giving a nervous shrug. Randy only snickered quietly, looking more amused than anything.

"I'm sure Smokey will turn up somewhere," Randy hummed, voice soft and utterly content. A shift and the man was stretching out across the grass, lightly dozing on the grass. There was a pause before a splashing sound, and Danny was giving a shriek and looking _miserable._

"What did I do to deserve this?" Randy was only just barely flicking his fingers, Andrew and Danny's shields appearing by the side of his pond. While Andrew's cracked and shattered in a way that he flopped backward onto the grass with his laptop, Danny's was shattering in a way that his entire lower half ended up in the pond. Another ungodly shriek, and Danny was scrambling away from the pond, looking like a half drowned rat. Andrew was only rolling his eyes before calmly snatching him and phasing the water off him, tsking quietly. " _It tried to steal my soul._ "

"No, no, mon cher, you already sold your soul long ago," Andrew waved off, setting the teen down as he looked to Randy. The oldest was near completely passed out, eyes looking dazed and confused.

"Wha- But it can't steal my virginity, I don't have that, either!" Andrew only nudged Danny back towards the pond with his foot. Danny squeaked, latching onto the foot and looking _pathetic._

"How you're so afraid of water, I have no idea." Sighing, he picked the teen up and flew over to Randy, dropping Danny down next to him. Seeing the look he was given, Randy gave a nervous chuckle, curling up a tiny bit.

"So, I _might've_ overdone it a _bit_ when I practiced on my shields the other day...without you- I was seeing how many I could summon at one time." A tiny cough. "I got up to 48 for twenty minutes."

At that, Danny was looking over in surprise. "Really? How big were they? How thick? Were they clear, or could you not see them? Did they have anything in them?" Randy gave a slow nod, looking to be thinking.

"They were about the size of the one Andy was just in, they were near four inches thick, they were about the density you usually see. A few of them I experimented on so some were crystal clear while others were opaque. A few of them had objects in them, but most were empty."

" _Woah._ " Danny stared at Randy as though he were someone entirely new. Randy only blinked, confusedly looking to Andrew.

"What'd I do."

"If I were to assume? He's rather found a fascination with learning new things about ghosts. You specifically." Randy only gave a slow nod, looking to be accepting of this fact.

"You know, I'm figuring some stuff out lately. Mostly about how I'm in denial a lot, like denying that I was in love with you two. Wanna know what else I was in denial about?" Randy rolled over onto his back, looking _exhausted_. "I _might_ have a bit more power than I first assumed."

In his defense, he really _had_ thought he was a weaker ghost. It wasn't like he could do _much_ , just three main things of his 'own'. Teleportation, shields, using his guns. When he started exploring and meeting other ghosts, though...and spending more time around Andrew and Danny who were seen as near _over_ powered, well...

Danny tilted his head curiously, giving a small frown because no. Randy shouldn't look that bad off. Pausing, he zoomed off to part of the garden before returning with a blue petal. "Eat it." Randy slowly raised an eyebrow but did as told, swallowing it and making a face before blinking.

"...Huh. I forgot about those." Smiling, he leaned up to give Danny a sweet kiss. "Merci, mon douce."

"So then how much power _do_ you have?" Andrew sat down beside the two of them, giving Randy a small nudge and a caring look. Flopping over his lap, Randy looked to be considering of the fact.

"I dunno _exactly_. Possibly...as much as Plasmius, for a rough comparison?" Curling up a bit, he gave Andrew a nervous smile. "Did I ever mention to you that it took five months for me to form?"

"...It what."

"Heh. Whoops?"

"That- Doesn't it typically only take a ghost like a month or two?"

"And that's just for the powerful ones," Randy pointed out, making himself comfortable on top of Andrew, still slightly wet from where he had been in the pond. "...You're now my fluffy pillow."

Danny was staring at Randy, his eyes slowly turning blue. " _White, white, never changing, always white, always protecting, always caring, white as pure snow white as untouched white white._ " Randy blinked at that, eyes flashing a bright white before he was blinking up at Andrew.

"Time vision?"

Andrew gave a nod as he stared up at Danny. "Danny, mon cher. Come back to us."

Looking at him, Danny only tilted his head. " _Purple, purple and grey and always the right hand always there at the center always purple, royal purple._ " Randy was gently snatching Danny and pulling him into Andrew's lap, pressing a kiss to his cheek before nuzzling against the spot.

"I told your sister that you haven't started applying for college classes yet."

" _WHAT?!_ " Danny's eyes were back to green in a flash as he stared at Randy in mortal terror. Randy only snickered, kissing his cheek again.

"Relax, mon douce, I wouldn't dare. I just had to find a way to snap you out of your time vision. It probably isn't good to let you stay inside one for too long." Plsu that had been freaking hiliarious.

"I...dunno." Danny was frowning and looking down into his lap. "They normally just end on their own. And that one... I can't tell what it was, but it _seemed_ really short."

"I'm sure you'll figure it out," Randy started, an unholy grin on his face as he finished before Andrew could stop him. " _In time._ " Smiling, Danny gave a soft laugh before hugging the two of them close and...right. Why was he worrying about the future so much? Andrew and Randy would be by his side, he knew that. He didn't need a time vision to tell him that. So everything would be fine.

He was sure of it.


	13. That Teen Titan Episode

**AN: Kas - Laundry day~ See you there~**

 **Kit - Eeeyyyyyyyyyyyyyy. We decided you lovelies deserved far more of State of Mind. Sorry it's been neglected, we got absorbed with other projects.**

 **Kas - We'll make time stand stiiiiill~**

 **Kit - ...We're watching Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog. It's really, really good and when that duet scene comes...**

* * *

"Randy!"

Randy, who had just returned from one of his quicker jobs, immediately rushed to Danny at hearing his voice. "Danny? What's wrong?" Because that was a very worrying tone of voice.

Danny gestured to where Andrew lay on the bed, looking peaceful. "He was doing some experiment in his alchemy lab and I heard an explosion and he was passed out and he hasn't woken up since."

"How many hours has it been?" Randy was dropping his bag and checking over Andrew at once, looking serious as he inspected the man. "Harder to tell when it's sleep or coma with ghosts..." Goddamn death. Checking the eyes, however, showed he was _very_ out of it.

"M...ooore than twenty four hours," Danny replied softly, worrying his lip and biting at it. At that, Randy paused, slowly taking a calming breath. Right, they couldn't panic. That would be the last thing to help him. Snatching Danny, Randy was quickly teleporting them to Andrew's alchemy lab.

"Where did you find him and in what position? Did you clean up any chemicals? Vidya, give me any books he was working with at the time."

Danny flew over to a spot on the ground. "He was right here. It looked like he was blasted back. There weren't any chemicals to clean up cause they blew up, so they must have gotten evaporated." He was careful to not touch the ground, floating in the middle of the room.

"And he complains about _me_ when I work with dangerous chemicals," Randy tsked, flying after Danny and studying the spot. Nodding, he studied the table next, eyes scanning over the scattered objects that were lying around. "What the hell were you messin' with..." Seeing a book floating next to him, Randy was quickly reading over the page it was open to, eyes slightly widening. "Seriously?! Ugh- _Ugh_!" Randy shoved the book in Danny's face, looking annoyed. "He was messing with his speed healing, which, _shockingly enough_ is connected to a ghost's core and _state of mind_!"

Danny floated a bit closer, toying nervously with his scarf. "What does that have to do with speed healing?" Taking another deep breath, and calming himself down, Randy gently nudged Danny back towards the bedroom.

"Me and Andy...don't _have_ speed healing. We never could figure out why. I thought he had stopped tampering with it, but I guess not..." Randy nibbled at his lower lip, settling down on the bed next to Andrew and tugging on a lock of his hair. "I...don't know what to do here, petit mec..."

"I..." Danny sat down beside Randy with a small frown. "There is one thing. When Nocturne came to Amity, and did the thing that made everyone fall asleep, I was able to go in peoples' minds and wake them up. You said it's his mind that got messed with, right?"

"...You can do that?" Just how adaptive _was_ this kid. He knew he could overshadow video games like Technus, but now he could enter dreams like Nocturne? Danny was...something else. "I mean, it _could_ work... What he was messing with was meant to bring his mind together, kind of like a calming potion, or something. If he messed it up, it could have _shattered_ the mind instead... If we peek in on his dreams, we could at least get a better idea of what he did, and try to fix it. Maybe even try to shock him awake."

"Would he even _have_ any dreams?" Danny stared down at Andrew, giving the man a small poke and a frown. "I mean, shocking people awake was how I did it last time."

"Well, maybe not really _dreams_ ," Randy mumbled, tilting Andrew's head and checking his eyes again. "But if you can enter the mind like Nocturne, then we'll find _some_ form of him inside his mind, dream or not."

"...Okay. So you just...overshadow him, and slip in, and... I'm gonna stop using that as a metaphor." Randy snickered, taking Danny's hand and linking their fingers together.

"After you then, mon douce."

"Wha- Me- Okay." Danny concentrated, turning both of them intangible before flying into Andrew.

"...Well...this was unexpected." The two stood in a dark room, almost blackened by the drape in front of a window. When Danny floated over to the window, he pulled the curtain back only to reveal a gloomy thunderstorm that raged on outside.

"...I thought he hated cliches."

Randy snorted at that, taking a look around the room to see it was...rather sparse. It seemed to be made of stone, with nothing but a few things lingering around. "He actually convinced you of that? Have you _read_ his books?" The room itself...almost reminded him of...of... "Andy, darling, are you here?" There was a quiet noise, similar to a hiccup, before it was silenced, and there was nothing but the sound of Danny's breathing.

Randy glanced to Danny before hovering in the air, circling around the room a moment before glancing back to the storming window. Taking a breath, he started humming a gentle, comforting song under his breath. There was a shuddering breath, and a quiet sigh, the atmosphere of the room getting just the slightest bit lighter. A few moments and there was a curled up figure in all black in the corner of the room, Randy flying over while still humming soothingly and comfortingly. Settling down in front of the figure, Randy gently ran a hand through the hair before pressing a kiss to the forehead.

The Andrew - or whatever this was - leaned into the gentle touch, looking up at Randy, and Danny as the teen came closer. The tear tracks on his face were obvious, and his eyes were red and puffy, but it looked like he wasn't crying much, at the moment. "What- What are you two doing here?"

"We're...kind of hoping you could help us explain that." Randy cupped the man's cheek, absently looking him over and studying him. "You were experimenting with alchemy, and your speed healing. Danny says you've been asleep for over a day, so we came in here to try and wake you up. Do you remember anything?"

Slowly shaking his head, he stared at Randy. "No. N- A _day?_ " Randy gave a nod, as well as trying for a reassuring smile.

"Yeah, but it's okay, because we'll wake you up in no time. We're good at fixing stuff like this, yeah?" Randy tilted the man's head up, eye narrowing a small amount. "You're younger...and human." Not younger by much, just a year or two, at most. The skin, however, was certainly human, if a bit pale. At the mention, Andrew's lip was quivering and his eyes were starting to shine with tears again as he stared up at Randy, as though he may disappear any moment.

He clung tightly to Randy, burying his face in the man's shoulder. " _Don't leave me._ " Randy, rather startled, only hugged the man back before looking to Danny _very_ panickedly.

"Hey, hey, no, it's okay. It's okay, Andy, I'm not gonna leave you. Stuck with me for forever, and mates, and all that, yeah?" Rubbing at the man's back, Randy looked to Danny pathetically, a clear look of 'help me on his face'.

Danny looked to Andrew, gently taking his hand. "Hey, Andy?"

Andrew looked back up at him, blinking in confusion. "I'm not Andrew." What. The hell. Randy sighed, and, really, this was going to be a long day.

"Would you mind telling us your name, then, darling?"

"Sorrow."

"...Cliches, indeed." Gently pulling Sorrow into his lap, Randy twisted around to where he was settling against the wall, leaning against Danny heavily. "So what I think has happened is that whatever you - 'Andrew' - was experimenting with caused your mind to shatter. Considering we're ghosts and our minds are vastly different, I suppose that means your emotions have been...separated." A long moment of silence. "It's like that Teen Titans episode." At the reference, Sorrow only blinked in confusion.

Danny leaned back against them, nuzzling against Sorrow. "Do you know what the others are, then? Or who?" Sorrow seemed to be thinking about the question heavily before he finally looked at Danny and gave a shrug. Randy gave a quiet chuckle, kissing at Sorrow's forehead.

"So, for now, I suppose, we just have to try and find the other emotions... If we can talk with each of them, maybe we can figure out a way to wake Andrew's consciousness." A glance back down to Sorrow. "So you don't have any idea what's going on, then?"

Sorrow gave a small sniff, and a shake of his head. "No. I don't know. I'm sorry." Randy only gave the other a peck of a kiss, nuzzling against his cheek a moment later.

"It's alright if you don't know anything, darling. This is a very strange situation, after all. Would you like us to stay with you for a little longer?" An apologetic glance to Danny because, really... Even if he knew they should be moving along, he couldn't bring himself to leave an upset and depressed Andrew all on his own. Especially one who went by the name _Sorrow_. Danny only gave Randy a small smile and a small nod because...he really didn't want to leave An- _Sorrow_ like this. Sorrow only gave a small nod, curling up tighter in Randy's lap.

"So...do your physical appearances change depending on which emotion you are?" Randy sunk down a little more, quietly running a hand through Sorrow's hair, scratching at the scalp.

Sorrow gave a small shake of his head. "I don't know- This is all so new. Nothing like this happened- I barely knew I existed!"

"It's alright. I imagine this is rather confusing for you," Randy soothed, kissing the man's cheek again. "You look a bit younger than the current Andrew, though. Seventeen, or so, if I had to guess." Would there be a reason as to why Andrew's manifestation of sorrow was this age? Did something happen that was _so bad_ it left this much of an impression? Even now? Giving a quiet sniff, Sorrow tucked himself closer and nodded, hiding his face as best he could. At their side Danny was giving a small frown as he did the math. Sorrow was seventeen. About then, Randy would...be...

Seeing Danny's expression, Randy gave him a curious nudge, head tilting in silent question. Danny quietly mouthed to him, 'you.' Randy blinked, looking to be confused before realization hit. He had died at twenty-one...when Andrew...was seventeen he had... "You've been through so much, my love..." Randy tucked Sorrow under his chin, rubbing at his back. To think that event made that much of an impact on him...he hadn't even realized Andrew had _known_ about his death at that age. Sorrow seemed to calm down, leaning against Randy and Danny equally.

Danny tilted his head at the two and gave a small smile, quietly humming. After a moment, he was taking up the tune he'd heard Randy hum, adding his own pieces of song into it. Randy hid a chuckle, rather amused, and, really... His mates were something.

They were like that for a good while, Randy finally nudging Danny and quietly gesturing to Sorrow, who was asleep against him. Danny gave him a small nod, scratching Sorrow's scalp before standing and giving a small stretch. "So if that's one emotion, how do we get to the next one?"

"...Well, there's a door over in the corner," Randy pointed out, speaking quietly as he lifted Sorrow into his arms. Setting him down on the single bed in a corner and tucking him in, Randy nodded as he kissed the man's forehead. "We can try that, I suppose. If anything too bad happens then our powers will probably kick us out in a self-preservation instinct. Probably."

"That would make the most amount of sense," Danny said. "So, to the next one, then?"

"To the next one, then," Randy grinned, taking Danny's hand and opening the door quietly. "We should be careful, though. We don't want to startle the emotion if he's anything like Sorrow." With that, he took a step past the door, Danny right beside him.

"Oooh, I haven't seen _you two_ in here, before. This is going to be fun~"

"...Oh dear god..."


	14. Nerds

**AN: Kas - Ahhh, that duet was amazing!**

 **Kit - I really love- Okay I'm being dragged off by Mom.**

 **Kas - I'm going to assume she said she really loves cute nerdy OT3 stuffs.**

* * *

"I- Ah- An...drew?" Randy knew that they were in Andrew's mind, and that the emotions were bound to be a bit different personality wise, but this was...something.

"Not quite, darling. But if you want, I can be. I can be whatever you want." The Andrew in front of them looked about eighteen or nineteen, and...incredibly like Randy.

"Uh...huh..." Randy slowly pushed Danny in front of him. "Have a Danny." Because this Andrew was looking and acting like a _major_ flirt, and Randy wasn't quite sure if he could handle that at the moment. "So, um...which emotion are you?"

"I'd be Confidence," he hummed, a finger under Danny's chin tilting his head up. "Ooh, I could just eat you up." Danny only grinned _wickedly_ , words coming out as a near _purr_.

"Oo, my angel, you already _have_ , though...although I'm sure we could spend a bit more time together if you're feeling a little... _lonely_ ~" At Danny's words, Randy was slowly pulling the teen behind him, and away from Confidence.

"No. You two would just encourage each other's bad behavior- We are on a serious mission here."

"Oh, a mission? We haven't been on one of those in _so_ long. So, tell me darling," Confidence said as he fell backwards onto a loveseat. "What sort of a mission is this? Retrieval? A bit of fright? Or is it one of the _fun_ ones?"

"...Ooh, okay, that makes some sense of things..." So Andrew still acted a bit more like the Priest than even _he_ realized at times. "It's a mission involving _you_ , mon cheri. You had a bit of an accident with your alchemy, and we're here to tidy things up a bit. Nothing too bad to worry about, though." Flying over, Randy poked at Confidence's cheek. "So, is there a reason you're dressed and acting rather...interestingly." Because it would be rude to say slutty.

"Hm? Oh, I suppose I was just modelling myself after you. That's not a problem, is it, Randy?" Confidence strutted towards him with a near feral grin, until the two were only a few inches apart.

"A-Ah, n-no? I guess- I guess not?" Oh, lovely, Randy was backed against the wall, blushing brightly, and feeling like a tiny embarrassed teen. That- That was not expected of today. "I mean, as long as you're happy and everything, right? Heh..."

"Perfect." Confidence's smirk dropped to a smile that looked more genuine. "That's not so hard, seeing as you two are here."

"So, ah, right, do you happen to know anything about what's going on here? With your emotions? The alchemy potion you were working on deals with speed healing and your core, and going over what you did, I assume you mixed a wrong ingredient. Hence why your consciousness seems to be scattered across all your emotions, which, you are one...um...yes. That."

"Ah, that makes perfect sense," Confidence said, nodding along. "No, I don't know much of what's going on, though I'm sure I could make some theories, though it's a bit more difficult as I can't access my - _our_ current memories, and so I don't know exactly what happened, but yes, there's something in the core, almost as though something was...unlocked. Interesting."

"Unlocked?" Randy frowned at that, looking to be thinking heavily before a dawning look of realization crossed his face. "Maybe..." At Danny's look, he gave a smile. "I have a theory, but it might take a few more emotions to confirm it."

Danny gave a nod before floating up to Confidence and pulling him into a deep kiss, looking absolutely love stricken. Confidence was thrown off for a moment before easily wrapping his arms around the teen and pulling him closer. It was a long moment before Danny was slowly parting, pecking the corner of the man's lips. "Sorry. Had to do it at least once."

"I'm not sure which of you is the bad influence," Randy snorted, looking more amused than anything. "So, can you show us a door? Or how to get to the next emotion?" The room was rather...striking. Bold colors and furniture that almost _paled_ in comparison to Confidence's personality.

"The door's right behind you," Confidence hummed as he peppered Danny's face with sweet, fleeting kisses before releasing him. "Have fun on your little _tour._ "

"This is going to be such a long day," Randy groaned, nudging Danny towards the door before pausing. Doubling back, he was jerking Confidence down for a kiss like Danny had done, although a bit rougher, and deeper. And _maybe_ leaving some very sharp marks on the back of the man's neck with his nails. His eyes wide, Confidence's face quickly turned a bright red because he had never expected that from _Randy._

"Such a sweet color you blush, mon cheri," Randy cooed, kissing at the cheeks before giving a sharp nip to one of the ear tips. Really, revenge was far too sweet. "I'll be sure to pick up where we left off when you wake up, if you wish~"

" _I_ would certainly not be against that," Confidence quickly answered with a wide grin.

Danny rolled his eyes and tugged on Randy's hand. "Come on."

"Okay, to be fair, he deserved that one," Randy huffed, sneaking one more quick kiss to Confidence before following after Danny through the door. "...Huh." The room they had walked into...was one of the study rooms straight out of Vidya. In the middle of the room was a ghostly Andrew, like he might be any normal day. He was sitting criss cross in the air, his back to them as dozens of books circled around him, each having a purple aura.

Randy gave a slow nod, and, really, wasn't this familiar, now? Well, the lost in a pile of books was, at any rate. And, okay, was it wrong of him to sneak up on Andrew and greet him in a very loud, chirp of a hello? Maybe. Did he care? Not really. The emotion only glanced over to Randy for a brief moment. "Hello." He was already looking back to the books, his eyes a bright purple.

"...Oh dear. He's completely lost to his books," Randy sighed, floating around the emotion, almost absently checking the ghost over to see if he was alright. "I'm surprised I even got a hello out of him... So, would you be willing to tell us which emotion you are?"

"Obsession," he answered simply, his hand flicking here and there to put books back on the shelves and replace them with new ones. Danny gave a snort, looking amused.

"How am I not surprised?" Randy only rolled his eyes, snagging one of the books and glancing it over- Oh, huh, this was a good one.

"Definitely should have seen it coming, at any rate. I don't suppose you know what's going on with the emotions, do you? Or how to wake you up?" A pause. "Not _you_ you, but Andrew you." Obsession's eyes narrowed at Randy for a long moment, the books stopping their orbit before he only snorted and went back to his brief scanning.

"No idea. Trying to see."

Danny stared, his eyes wide. "...He didn't kill you."

"I'm just as freaked, if it helps," Randy spoke, looking as startled. Usually Andrew tried to strangle them with a scarf if they interrupted- Wait... "See? What are you trying to see, cheri?"

"Memories. Events." With a quiet growl, a few books were snapped shut and thrown to the side before more were replacing them. Randy was catching them with his own energy out of habit, more than anything, setting them back on the shelf.

"... _Your_ memories, you mean?"

"Mine. His," he said with a vague gesture all around. "Current events." Randy nodded slowly.

"Uh huh- Oh! You mean the other emotions. So, any idea as to what _exactly_ is going on here?" Because he had a theory about what it could be...or at least, a theory relating as to why they didn't have speed-healing.

"I can't see."

Danny shook his head as he leaned against Randy, his tail wrapping lazily around the man's ankle. "You're getting him to talk way more than I thought."

"Still not much, though," Randy pointed out, wrapping around Danny and kissing at his cheek. "Obsession, huh..." An obsessed Andrew usually didn't even _glance_ away from his books, the fact he was holding a conversation with them spoke _volumes_. "Might be because we're mates. Cores connected, and all that."

"Huh. I mean, that makes sense." Danny gave a small nod as he returned the kiss to his cheek with one of his own. "I mean, maybe this is less just the obsession, and more the core's main focuses?"

"...I forgot you were a scientist. That? Right there? It reminded me- And it would make more sense, I suppose, than _just_ the obsession." Obsession snorted, looking incredibly amused by something. "Oh? Something you'd like to say, then? Maybe contribute to our worried conversation about our mate?"

"Both still clueless."

"Excuse you! You two are far more clueless than I am! _Neither_ of you have realized!" Honestly, it wasn't that hard to tell that the collar tugs affected him in certain... _ways_. At that, Danny was only tilting his head curiously because no, now he wanted to know. Obsession only gave a vague hand wave, focused back on his books. "Nothing, nothing, you'll find out in due time. Probably...maybe. So, ah, Obsession. You gonna be okay if we leave?" Obsession waved a hand, a door next to one of the shelves opening as he spared another glance towards them.

Randy rolled his eyes before nudging Danny along, slipping over to kiss Obsession's cheek. "Alright, but take a break if you need to." Obsession gave the two a smile and a nod, watching the two leave, his own little way of seeing them out.

Seeing a new room, Randy raised an eyebrow at seeing...it was the gardens. Right by the pond, with the fish swimming around, and the lions dozing in a shaft of sunlight. Glancing around, and not seeing an Andrew, Randy blinked. "Ah...do you see him?" Danny looked to Randy as though he were being a bit silly. If there was an Andrew in the _gardens..._

"You check under the trees." The teen only floated over to the pond and looked down into it with a quiet laugh. "Nevermind." Randy blinked but flew over, laughing as he saw a familiar white bubble, a ghostly Andrew resting in the center of it.

"Think I can pull it up?" Danny only gave a shrug, looking blank. "Welp, never gonna know if we don't try." With that, Randy was gently flicking his hand, nudging at the shield and blinking as it was brought up to the surface. Seeing a startled Andrew, he gave a smile. "Heh, hi, darling." The emotion looked delighted at the sight of them, leaning against the shield and waving at them with a giggle. "Aw...I need to hug him." With that, Randy was gently moving the bubble over to the grass, letting it fade before he was holding his arms out to the other. "Hug."

The emotion near tackled him in a hug, his own tail formed and curling around Randy. "I didn't think I'd see you here."

"Yeaaah, we didn't think we'd _be_ here," Randy chuckled, nuzzling against his cheek before nudging him to see Danny. "And look. A Danny." The emotion only tackled Danny into a hug and nuzzled against him, his tail remaining tightly wound around Randy. "So, which emotion are you then, darling?" One of the more affectionate ones, for sure- Well, they were _all_ affectionate, just in their own ways.

"Mm, Love," he hummed happily. Danny was only happily returning the hug, nuzzling back against Love while Randy grinned widely. Love, huh? _Adorable_.

"Ha, I _knew_ you loved the pond."

"Of course I do." Love looked at him as though he were being silly. "You made it for me. It's something special that you made." ...Alright, Randy was now clinging to both mates. It's not like he could help it when they were being so cute and adorable!

"Adorable mate." And, alright, maybe Randy gave him a _few_ kisses. Love was all too happy to press back against the kisses, looking like there was absolutely no place he'd rather be. It was a long few moments before Randy was starting to pull back. "Emotions- Right, right. We're here because- Yeah. ...Why are we here." Alright, he was a _bit_ dazed, his mates had a good effect on him.

"Mm, that's what I was wondering." Love glanced from Randy over to Danny, looking...incredibly innocent. "Why _are_ you two here?"

Danny gave a quiet sigh as he gently kissed Love. "You just got in a bit of trouble with some of your alchemy."

"Oh, right, that," Randy nodded, back on track. "Trouble with your alchemy, and your speed healing. Nothing to worry about, of course." A gentle smile, and kiss to accompany it. "We'll get you straightened out in no time. Promise."

Love gave a laugh, a spark of amusement twinkling in his eye. "Well, _that's_ going to be impossible." Randy gave a heavy sigh, hiding his face in Andrew's neck.

"Nooo. I expected it from _Danny_ , but you too, Andy? _Really_ , now." Danny was quietly snickering, looking incredibly proud.

"My cute little Andy," Danny said as he nuzzled against him, noticing he was just the tiniest bit younger looking. Randy only groaned, trying to be as dramatic as possible.

"Yeah, yeah, punning nerds aside, we should probably get to the next emotion." As much as he really wouldn't mind staying behind in the gardens...they needed to wake Andrew up. Too long asleep like this couldn't be good. "Is there a door, somewhere near here?" Love gave a small nod, looking disappointed they were leaving already.

"It's behind the pond." Randy nodded, glancing to the door before scooping up Love and settling down under a tree, as well as tugging Danny down next to them.

"You know, we stayed with Sorrow for a bit...don't see why we couldn't stay here a _little_ longer." Randy was weak, they all knew this. Grinning brightly, Love tackled him to the ground and peppered his face with sweet kisses, muttering small things of adoration. "Danny, help, I'm too weak for this." And, alright, he _might_ have been blushing. Quite a bit.

Danny only gave a laugh as he flopped down next to them, grinning widely. "You're so _adorable._ " Randy huffed, not really fighting against the kisses or attention.

"You both are against me. Honestly. So rude, the two of you." Although it _had_ been a few days since mate cuddles, since he had been on a job...so he supposed that was one reason he wasn't as against it as he might be. Plus, really... Andrew and Danny cuddles. "I guess I'm just gonna be stuck here for quite a while." The youngest kissed at his cheek, his tail draped over the two of them.

"That's okay, right?" Randy gave a quiet, content purr.

"Absolutely perfect, my sweet."


	15. THAT Movie

**AN: Kit - Really, that movie was so good. We should watch it again.**

 **Kas - I know, it was an amazing movie.**

 **Kit - Yes. I thoroughly recommend it to all our readers.**

 **Kas - Best movie I've ever seen, really. I think that they'd enjoy it.**

 **Kit - 10/10**

 **Kas - Would watch again.**

* * *

"Ah! Wai- Just wait a moment before you come in! Hang on!"

"Not much we haven't seen by now, Andy," Randy snorted, dragging Danny through the door. They had just left Love - after Randy had made a new bubble for him - and were now at the next emotion.

"Well, still," the emotion whined, his hair and glasses all ruffled as his cheeks were a bright red. Randy only stared for a moment before cupping his cheeks and _cooing_.

" _My precious little priest._ " So adorable! Rubbing their cheeks together, Randy pulled the other into a light hug. "Which emotion are you then, darling?"

The other's cheeks only grew hotter as he tugged at his shirt collar, his voice lowering with each word. "Oh, I, ah, well... Embarrassment."

Danny rose an eyebrow. "I was beginning to wonder if you had any." Randy snickered at that, looking rather amused as he pressed fluttering little kisses to Embarrassment's cheeks.

"Oh, he does. He just hides it _marvelously_ well." The emotion whined, trying to hide his face in his shirt because _noooo._ Randy, meanwhile, was grinning. Aah, revenge, how wonderful. Tucking the emotion's face against his chest, Randy scratched at his scalp. "So, we're just...passing through. There was a little hiccup in your alchemy, but don't worry, we're gonna fix it."

"Ah." Embarrassment glanced up to Danny before trying to hide again. "Uuugh. What have you two seen?"

Danny only grinned widely and flew over, kissing the tip of Embarrassment's nose. "You, being absolutely adorable."

"As well as absolutely _perfect_ ," Randy hummed, kissing at the top of the younger's head and nuzzling against him, fingertips falling down to lightly rub at his sides. "Our dear, perfect mate." Embarrassment shivered a bit before looking to calm down. Danny glanced to the drawers of the desk, papers crumpled and tumbling out of them. The teen flew over, looking curious.

"Hey, what are-"

"DON'T TOUCH THEM!"

There was a long moment of silence in the room - a room that looked like a mix between Sorrow's and Obsession's - before Randy was giving an unholy grin, smile _wicked_. "Are those your early attempts at poems, then?"

Embarrassment whined, sinking down to the floor. " _Please don't look at them._ " Danny only nudged at some of the papers, sorting them out a bit. Randy knelt down next to the younger, patting his head and scratching at the scalp.

"It's alright, mon cheri, we won't look. It's rude to read a writer's work without getting permission first, after all, right?" A small smirk. "'Sides, I still remember 'the Dog and the Log'."

" _Please no._ " Embarrassment looked _miserable,_ and near ready to cry, as though Randy were a cruel brother torturing him. Randy only cooed, dragging the other into his lap and nuzzling against him, hand rubbing at his back.

"Aw, it's alright, darling. I'll stop teasing you, I promise." A sweet kiss to the cheek. "I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings, any."

Embarrassment huffed, looking like a pouty child. "You're the worst." Still, he leaned against Randy, relaxing in the man's hold. Randy only hummed, nuzzling against the other happily and pressing little kisses to him.

"Yep, but you're both stuck with me for forever." Something he was _very_ happy about.

"That's...not so bad," he said, his face a bright red. Danny flew back over, a small stack of papers in his hands. He set them in Embarrassment's lap, giving a smile.

"I didn't look at them, I promise. But... I just want you to remember that this is where you started. And that you should never _ever_ stop writing."

"After all, if you hadn't written these, you might never have written The Soundless Clocks, or other great novels," Randy added, nuzzling at Embarrassment's cheek. "So it's alright to feel _embarrassed_ about it, but just don't forget it. After all, remembering where we came from...that can be a good thing, sometimes."

"...I suppose." Danny sat down beside them, curling up against them and quietly humming as he held Embarrassment's hand. Randy smiled, curling around the emotion a bit more. Remembering the past, huh... Maybe trying to forget parts of who they had been...hadn't been their best move.

"Hey, Embarrassment? Do you know where the door is?" A pause, and Embarrassment was pointing towards a door against the far wall, more relaxed against Randy than he had been.

"Well, as much as we'd love to stay, I suppose we do have to be going," Randy sighed, sounding upset on the matter.

Danny only smiled at him. "Yeah, but we'll get to see him again soon. We're flying through these." Floating up, Danny held his hands out to Randy with a smile. Randy sighed and took the hands, letting himself be dragged up.

"You're flying, I'm walking." Scooping the emotion up, Randy made sure to give him a very deep kiss before setting him down on the desk and kissing the tip of his nose. "Love you."

"I- Ah..." Embarrassment was hiding the bottom half of his face in his shirt as the two turned away. " _Loveyoutoo._ " Randy had to be physically _dragged_ from the room, Danny looking more amused by the fact than anything.

"But- But- He was so _cute_! Tiny adorable embarrassed nerd!"

"Are you talking about Danny again, mon chevalier?" Perking up at the familiar nickname, Randy looked around to see another ghostly Andrew, Randy eagerly tackling him into a hug.

"No. Talking about you. You two _are_ alike, after all." And, hm...this Andrew had longer hair, long enough that it was pulled back into a low ponytail. And...had his knife pouch on...huh. "So, which emotion are you?"

"Contentment," he hummed from where he was flipping through a book before placing it back on the shelf, absently browsing. "I thought that'd be obvious."

"Well it's always good to double check," Randy pointed out, moving to wrap himself around Contentment's back and _cling_. "So, do _you_ happen to have any memories of what all happened? With the alchemy and emotions and all that?"

"No, not really. It's what I was looking for, actually." He gave a small nuzzle to Randy before looking to Danny. "And you, mon cher? Are you going to fail to tackle me to the ground, too?"

Danny pouted as he hugged Contentment close. "Rude." Randy snickered, kissing at the emotion's cheek.

"That's because we're French, though. If we aren't being rude, something is probably very wrong." Another nuzzle, the older poking at Contentment's cheek. "You have quite a few emotions in here, you know. They're also emotionally _draining_ emotions." Because Sorrow and Confidence, that...that had been interesting.

"Mm, I would assume so. I'm afraid I'm not entirely sure what others there are, but you have my sympathies. Alas, c'est la vie." Danny covered the man's mouth, nose wrinkling.

"No. I don't care if you're French. You still don't get to say that." Contentment only chuckled and kissed the palm of the teen's hand before running a finger over the spines of some of the books. When Danny finally looked up and looked around the room, he realized... It was an exact replica of their favorite reading room. Right down to the slight burn mark on the floor from when he'd been trying to practice his powers.

"I would just like to point out that that phrase was legitimate to use until you Americans ruined it," Randy huffed, poking at Danny's cheek. "You Americans claim everything, _insist_ you created it, and then misuse it _horribly_."

"Hey! Don't group me in with them! I _wish_ I was less American!" Danny huffed as he hung off Contentment with all his weight. "Aaandy, he's torturing me, again."

"Randy, quit torturing our mate," Contentment said absently. Randy only batted at Danny's hair, tugging on locks lightly and generally annoying him as much as possible.

"But he's so _fun_ to torture."

"Danny, pull on his hair."

"Wha- No! What advice is that?!" Randy scrunched behind Contentment, looking horribly betrayed at the mere _thought_ of his hair being tugged and pulled on. "Nooo."

"There. Now he's not torturing you." Danny purred, nuzzling against Contentment's neck.

"Thank you, mon ange."

"Mhm, you're welcome- Ugh, just _one_ book. It's all I ask for." With Contentment slightly distracted, Randy whispered a plan to Danny, making his voice as quiet as possible. "What are you plotting, Randy?"

" _Me? Plotting_?" Randy gasped, sounding _offended_ as he flew a few feet back, making sure his expression would reach full impact. "Why _Andrew_! Why would you ever think I would _plot_ against my dear, _wonderful_ mate?" Contentment didn't acknowledge the act with so much as a raised eyebrow. "...I love you greatly?"

"And I love you, too." Danny flew off of him as well, giving Randy a look. "Shouldn't you two be moving on?"

"I guess we _should_ , but it's just so hard to leave you, my darling." With that, Danny and Randy were moving at once, attempting to tackle Contentment clear out to the ground. Instead, Contentment barely swayed, only humming with amusement.

"Are you done, yet?" Randy only glanced to Danny, and, really, what would it take to get him off balance enough to... Hm.

"Okay, so I can admit we were slightly immature, but come on. You can hardly blame us considering you always act so _serious_ ," Randy hummed, dragging Contentment into a deep kiss and scratching at the back of his neck. Hopefully Danny had gotten the hint to _also_ be cruel.

Danny was back to being wrapped around Contentment, his tail around one of the emotion's legs while he rubbed at his sides. "We just like seeing you happy and relaxed."

Though Contentment gave a sigh, he smiled at the two of them. "I always am when I'm with you, though."

"Stop being sappy, that's our jobs," Randy huffed, covering the other in kisses and nuzzles, and _maybe_ purring just a _bit_. "You're being adorable, and that's not helping me be upset with you for doing alchemy like this on your own."

"I wasn't on my own, I _told_ Danny I was... Huh." Randy narrowed his eyes at that, leaning their foreheads together.

"I thought you said you didn't _remember_ anything, Andy."

"I thought I didn't," he argued back. "Maybe... Maybe I'm one of the last ones?" Randy only sighed, rolling his eyes with a dramatic motion.

"I suppose that makes a _bit_ of sense. Not like there's much precedence to all of this." He was still rubbing the back of the ghost's neck, Danny working on the sides. "That at least means we'll be able to wake you up soon."

"Something I'm sure you're quite pleased about," Contentment quietly hummed. He nuzzled against Randy, an arm wrapping around Danny.

"Well, we _do_ so adore your company," Randy pointed out, nudging the two until they were all comfortably seated on a couch, Contentment settled against Randy's chest, and Danny happily curled up to Contentment. "In fact, we adore it _so_ much that we might have to linger here for just a _bit_ longer. Contentment didn't offer much comment other than quiet, trailing purrs that rumbled through him as he only relaxed further.

Danny smiled, nuzzling against him slightly. "Can we keep our Andy like this?"

"We are going to spoil our Andy _relentlessly_ when we get out of here," Randy snorted, rubbing at the tip of Contentment's ears. "But for now it wouldn't hurt to rest a _bit_ longer. Besides, there really can't be too many more emotions, yeah?"

"One more," Contentment barely managed to mumble out. "One.. H..." His eyes slid closed and he was back to purring and cuddling Danny close.

"I'd like to have him like this more," Danny said as he let himself be tucked under the emotion's chin. "He's getting there."

"Definitely. Remember when he didn't used to purr _at all_?" Randy smiled, nuzzling at the ghost's head, one hand scratching at Danny's scalp. "Of course, we can blame a silly little halfa for starting _that_ back up."

"Yeah, but it's a good blaming," Danny hummed, nudging his head against Randy's hand.

"Yeah, yeah." Glancing over to the door, Randy silently tilted his head. "I wonder what the last emotions is gonna be..." He had an idea...but... "Well, it's Andy, so I guess whatever it is won't be _too_ bad."

"Yeah... This isn't exactly like that movie, is it?"

"...What movie?"

"...You poor depraved child."

"Wha- What? What'd I miss?"

"Movie when we get back. Come on! One more, right?"

"Right. One more."


	16. Welcome Back, Priest

**Kit - Heh... You guys are going to like this one.**

 **Kas - I know I certainly do.**

 **Kit - Please be kind, dear readers, and welcome back our lovely Priest of Death~**

 **Kas - He's been locked away for so long... He deserves a little greeting.**

 **Kit - If you're lucky, you might even hear his favorite song...**

* * *

" _Oh? Have some lost little lambs found their way to the slaughter?_ " A dark chuckle rang out over the space they were in, sounding utterly _wicked_. "To think I would meet you two here... _how exciting~_ "

An empty, rain-soaked city stretched out around them, the sky completely dark and devoid of stars, covered up by the storm clouds that stretched on for miles. Flickering lamp posts were the only things to offer any light, and even then, they offered no help to find the one who was talking to them. A voice that was changing direction and aim every few moments. Danny found himself stepping closer to Randy. Less because of the voice, and more because of the dreary storm. "Oh..."

"I had a feeling we'd be seeing you..." Randy sounded more tired, and accepting, than anything. Even when a human teenager appeared in front of him with no warning, he only offered a smile. "Hello, Priest."

"Hello, White Fang~" Danny watched the two, and really, he shouldn't have been much surprised. His startlement was mostly due to...the _lack_ of change between the two. It was...interesting. "I didn't think I'd be seeing _you_ ever again...then again...you're not _really_ White Fang, anymore, now are you?"

"Just like you're not supposed to be the Priest of Death anymore, hm?" Randy's gaze followed the teen without pause, as if waiting to move at his command at any second. "I can certainly guess which emotion you are...feel like telling us anyways, though?"

"Mm, Hatred. Though, you both knew that, already, didn't you?" Hatred noticed the look, raising an amused eyebrow. "All these years and yet you still follow those you find dear."

"Heh, you know how dogs are," Randy smiled, the tired tinge back to his face. "We don't really abandon those we're loyal too... Why were you experimenting with your speed healing? You know how dangerous that can be." If Danny hadn't found Andrew, if he had mixed the wrong thing in a different way...it could have been _much_ worse.

"Well, it's not as if I could get rid of it, now could I?" The emotion threw a knife into the air, and caught it with practiced ease.

"How come you remember everything," Danny asked, watching him carefully.

"Obviously because I was the one being experimented on."

"Judging by your tone, it's not the first time this has happened, I take it." Because damn if Randy hadn't thought about it himself. Of stripping away all the parts of him that had been _tainted_ by 'White Fang'. Tearing out the part of him that _enjoyed_ the killing, and wanted nothing more than to go on mission after mission after- ...There was a reason he took on so many jobs. "I thought you stopped that."

"Oh, he had. But then he realized I was the missing piece. Did you ever wonder why your core felt...off? Like something was missing? We can't speed heal because we're incomplete- Well, _you_ are." When Hatred passed by again, Randy was snatching him up into a hug, curling around him and stilling him for a short while.

"...We really shouldn't have tried to cut out part of who we are, huh..." That was what they had done, though. They had lied. They had lied so much they had near fooled themselves into thinking that those days had never happened. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you like I should have been." He could have at least... _talked_ to Andrew about everything. Not...shove it under a rug to never be mentioned.

Hatred paused for a moment, rolling his eyes before gently pushing away from Randy, looking restless before he disappeared again. "But you were there," he pointed out. "Perhaps not in the way you wished, but...you were there. And who could forget the little halfa? The one that was never scared. Not even now."

Randy glanced over to Danny, giving a small smile at that. "No...no one could ever forget him." The one who hadn't felt an _ounce_ of fear getting close to two assassins, and stealing their hearts without them even realizing. "I've been thinking, though...maybe hiding who we were back then...isn't what we should have done. I mean, we've made it this far, right? We can't be too bad, whoever we ended up being."

"A nice sentiment, but Andrew beat you to it. You see, the experiment this time was not to further repress me, but to actually bring me out and bring a form of balance. He just hadn't expected the results to be so...explosive." Danny gave a shudder at the mention, remembering his terror at hearing the blast, then the panic at seeing Andrew.

Randy was leaning into Danny at seeing the shudder, lightly pecking him on the cheek before looking back to Hatred. "You know, he often _does_ end up beating me when it comes to revelations like that." Nudging Danny into following after him, Randy was stalking along the edge of a building before quickly climbing and jumping up it, snatching Hatred in a hug again and nuzzling against him. "I will admit, though... I _did_ miss having my perfect little Priest to follow~"

"I'm sure," Hatred hummed. So then not _all_ of White Fang was repressed. Good to know. "Well, now you have a little Phantom to follow. He makes for a much better leader." There was a pause, Hatred narrowing his eyes in a seemingly random direction, the emotion falling silent.

Seeing the expression, and remembering it _very_ well, Randy was letting Hatred go before snatching Danny and curling around him, looking wickedly amused, more than anything. So this area served as target practice as well, then. Danny looked up to Randy with a small frown. "What's going-"

With a flap of his coat, Hatred was already two roofs away, and going quickly, remaining close to the edges of the rooftops and watching over them. "The Priest found a new target to chase," Randy quietly chuckled, chin resting on the top of Danny's head. "I assume there's targets in here to keep him busy. He was never one for sitting still long, after all."

"Well excuse me for being used to constant missions." Hatred narrowed his eyes at Randy, then seemed to examine Danny, tilting his head here and there. "You're next."

"Ah... What?" Randy only laughed, voice still quiet and wickedly amused.

"Your wording needs work, my love." A flash and Randy was darting across to where Hatred was, guns already firing at a target that had been lurking behind him without his notice. "Also, you should stop showing off to our cute little halfa. It could be bad for you~"

"Oh, now you've done it." Now that there were two fighters, this whatever it was would acclimate and make more targets.

"It's your fault for having a self-aware system that serves as a constant training room," Randy shrugged, pausing. "...I didn't bring my guns in here..." Glancing down, he blinked at seeing familiar black guns, golden tassels hanging from the ends. "...Huh."

"The mind adapts. So, little Phantom, you've been so eager to learn. Care to go a couple rounds?" Hatred was looking to Danny and...the emotion didn't really seem to match his- A knife went flying past Danny's head and embedding itself deep within a target that had been near attacking him. " _How. Dare. You._ " Oh. There it was.

Randy had already teleported Danny to their side, nuzzling against him and checking him over quickly, seeming content at seeing he was fine. And, really, it could be fun to linger here for a _little_ while. Especially if these _targets_ thought they could _dare_ harm their precious little halfa...

It was barely moments later that the rooftops were littered with physical shadows. Hatred's shoulders were still shaking as his head whipped around in all directions, his eyes a bright red. "I think this little room of yours has forgotten why these 'targets' should be _very_ frightened," Randy purred, nudging Hatred's cheek with his own. "To lose their fear of the Priest of Death...how foolish."

Hatred seemed to calm under Randy's touch, giving a quiet sigh. "You two should go. Strictly speaking, you didn't need to come in here in the first place. Everything would have sorted itself out within a few days."

Randy silently tilted Hatred's head up with a hand under his chin, gaze sharp and serious. "You really think I would have been able to stand seeing you like that again? Strictly speaking, my love, you should have expected us here the moment you knew what was happening." Hatred stared at him for a long moment before giving a nod.

"I understand." Randy smiled, barely brushing his lips against the other's.

"Then you won't mind if we...linger, for a touch longer. Just to help, here and there, of course."

Hatred only gave a quiet sigh. "If that's really what you would like. Shouldn't you be waking him up?"

"Well, I'm sure after getting everything settled with you, he'll probably wake up on his own. After all, it seems we've talked and reassured all the emotions. Everything's all in order."

"And how do you know you haven't done the same with me?" Hatred rolled his eyes, only looking amused.

Danny wrapped around him quietly. "Cause we know you."

"And you know us," Randy teased, kissing the tip of the other's nose. "We're very stubborn, when it comes to each other." Glancing at the targets, which had gotten much closer, Randy gave a feral grin. "Shall we, then?"

"The Phantom, The Priest, and their wild wolf. There's been odder trios."

"Ooh, does that mean I get a cool name, too?!"

"Yes, you get a cool name, too."

"Woo!" Danny sped ahead of the two in a flurry, a couple of the targets hitting the ground.

"We're a _horrible_ influence on him," Randy noted, sounding quite pleased and proud of the fact. And maybe still nuzzling against his pretty little Priest a bit more.

"And yet you sound so proud of yourself." Hatred gave a tiny nuzzle back before going after Danny. Negative as he was, he was still a part of Andrew. The man could never hate them or wish harm upon them.

"Come on! I'm at six!"

"This is certainly going to be interesting, then..."

::

There was a quiet groan, Andrew slowly sitting up with a yawn. "What happened?" A glance showed Danny near falling off the bed, and Randy groaning as he pushed himself up from the floor. Andrew was then promptly tackled in hugs from both of them. "What... Did something happen?" Andrew carefully accepted the hugs, looking cautious.

"Next time you feel the need to do high-level alchemy, at _least_ be a _bit_ more careful." Randy had already bubbled the three of them without a second thought, still nuzzling against Andrew and tightly clinging to him. "Danger prone. You are as danger prone as _Danny_."

"I...promise to at least try to be more careful in the future." Andrew sighed as he forced himself to relax, looking _exhausted_. "You two..."

"Andrew! Using alchemy! And being in a coma! For thirty hours!" Randy paused at Danny's words, narrowing his eyes as he glanced around for a clock and saw none. Finally digging his phone out, he gave a slow nod.

"Here's the plan. We snack on something enough to get a little energy back, and then we sleep for forever." A small pause, and then a poke to Andrew's cheek. "Also your memories should _probably_ be settling in shortly. Maybe. It was a bit difficult to tell what happened, but if it _was_ your consciousness settling across different memory points, you should remember what happened from each point of view."

"No, no, I already did." Andrew laid back, rubbing at his eyes. "There were far fewer emotions than I would have first suspected, I'll say that much." And oh, lovely. His cheeks were purple.

Danny only kissed at one of them, nuzzling against him. "Feeling any better?"

"Surprisingly enough, yes."

By the time the two noticed Randy had vanished, he was already coming back in with sandwiches, cookies, and three cups of hot chocolate gathered on a tray. Setting it down on the bed, he snagged a cup and started drinking, giving a nod. "So, do we want to have long, emotional talks about this to make sure everything is okay, or do we want to ignore it and pretend it never happened?"

"Ugh, _please_ no more emotional talks..." Andrew looked up at Randy, absently munching on a cookie. "Is there anything you'd like to talk about?" Randy seemed to think it over a second, giving a nod.

"You said you felt better, right?" At the nod, Randy gave a beaming smile. "Then that's all that matters. If you _do_ want to talk about things, we're here for you, and if not, then we won't press it." A poke to Danny's cheek. "Same goes to you, ghost boy."

"Wait, what? Why am I being told this?"

Andrew gave a quiet chuckle, nuzzling against Danny. "Because you need to hear it as much as the both of us do."

"So, with sappy, caring, emotional talks out of the way, finish your food. _You_ need to eat more period- No, I cook for you, I know that you need to eat a bit more than you do. And _you_ have been asleep for thirty hours." With that, Randy was shoving a cookie into Danny's mouth, as well as handing Andrew a sandwich. "Eat, tiny children." Though Andrew sighed, he did so without argument, and humming as he settled down against them, looking peaceful.

"I love you both."

"Je t'aime aussi, mon ange."

"Yeah, yeah, I love you nerds, too. Now can we _please_ get some rest."

"Yes, please. Sorry to keep you, mon chevalier."

"Mhm. Just let me sleep for a few days and we'll call it even."

All in all, not _too_ bad a day, he supposed...


	17. Shadowbitch

**Kit - Shadowbitch going down.**

 **Kas - Goin' down down down down.**

 **Kit - LIKE A MERRY GO 'ROUND (So I just realized while I sang from FOB Kas sang from MLP. Whoops.)**

 **Kas - ...Oh yeah, I just remembered- Damn. We have to wait.**

 **Kit - Stick a pin in this convo.**

* * *

"Come on! The marketplace will be fun!" Andrew was the one tugging at Randy's hand, trying to pull him along. Randy only whined _spectacularly_ , looking to be putting up as much of a resistance as possible.

"But they _hate_ me at the marketplace! They never forgave me for the first time I met them!" In Randy's defense, he was a new ghost and he had been an assassin. He didn't know other ghosts were _that_ protective over their wares. "One of them keeps trying to sell me to Walker!"

"Please!" Andrew whined, looking pathetic. "You have Danny and I with you, this time!" Randy's other arm was already being clung to _by_ said half ghost, who was looking at him just as pathetically. Really, Randy hadn't stood a _chance_.

"Ugh, fiiine. But if I get captured and sold to Walker, you two are breaking me out." Touching down on the rock, Randy huffed as he crossed his arms. "I haven't even been here in ages." ...He really hoped he didn't run into some of his previous 'employers' because most of his jobs...did not end up going to plan.

"Hey, Riter!" A voice called, trying to get them to come over. It wasn't very hard, since Andrew was already dragging them over, Randy rolling his eyes in amusement. That person _had_ to deal with books if the other was being _this_ excited over them.

"Ah, so nice to see you again, Patricia! Any _good_ books?"

"Shut up and trade with me." Snorting quietly to himself, Randy shook his head as he glanced around. Nudging Danny with his hip, he gestured towards the others booths.

"I'm gonna take a look around, since Andy's probably gonna be here a while. Catch up with you guys in twenty minutes or so." Pecking a kiss on the teen's temple, Randy easily vanished into the crowd, and, really, maybe he _should_ come to the marketplace more often... It seemed like there were a fair few booths devoted to items he could make guns out of... And quite a few people he recognized, along with various friends.

"Aw, poor little Randy. Third wheel again?" A sweet voice cooed at him, sounding sickening. Resisting the urge to reach for his guns - he had found out the hard way that this place didn't like fighting - Randy gave the new ghost a sweet smile.

"Spectra, how unpleasant to see you! Oh my, is that a _wrinkle_? You should be more careful of stress, you _know_ how old it can make you look."

"Oh, I know. In fact, I was thinking about taking care of that. Where's little Danny?" She gave a mock pout, ruined by her smirk as she knew exactly what he wanted to reach for.

"You know, he _does_ spend time away from the Ghost Zone, unlike _some_ leeches I could mention. What's the matter, getting a bit too old to 'connect' with the teens, nowadays?" Oh, the urge to shoot her through her core was strong... If she kept threatening Danny, she would definitely be seeing how bad an idea that was.

"Mm, maybe you're right. I should try to aim for a bit older. I would ask if you needed to have a little _chat_ , but we all know that you do. I mean, the poor little pet can barely survive without those other two!"

Pet. _Pet_. Really, Randy was _completely_ justified in tackling Spectra to the ground and holding a gun to her core. One that was already charging with energy. " _You know what, I'm sure no one would miss a_ _ **leech**_ _, now would they? After all, if you disappeared...who would even notice_?"

"Randy," Danny called, not at all sounding troubled as he stood off to the side. "Don't kill the shadowbitch." At this point others were glancing over, a bit surprised to see it was _Randy_ who had snapped. Generally, Randy didn't snap. Ever. A small huff from the ghost and he was up and behind Danny, glaring darkly at Spectra.

"Ooh, he even obeys!" Spectra only looked triumphant as she stood. "Speak, boy! Speak!" Randy twitched, and no, no. They were just words. Danny had said not to kill her. He didn't _need_ to kill, anymore. Even if he wanted nothing more than for her- Control.

"Wow, Spectra. I didn't know you could make yourself look anymore stupid, but obviously I was wrong," Danny hummed, looking proud of himself. At the few snickers around them at the comment, Randy smirked at Spectra, and, yes, good ruthless mate of his. He knew just what to say. And how to _crush her_.

"Oh, come now, Danny dear, we both know that talking about yourself like that never helps. Tell me, how _was_ graduation? I'm surprised you even _passed_ , what with all those failed assignments."

"Oh, it was great, thanks. Better since you never showed up! Unlike you, I have people that actually care about me!" At this point, Danny was floating in front of Randy to draw her attention from him.

"I have heard a bit about that..." The tactic didn't work, since Spectra was eying Randy with a cruel smirk. "Really now, showing pity is obviously just making the poor thing _worse_. Don't you know you're not supposed to spoil pets?"

Danny only gave a smile, the ends of his scarf in his hand as he lightly swung them. "Well, it's not like you can do anything to stop me, right?"

"Me? Stop you? Now, that'd be just rude," Spectra huffed, fixing her sunglasses to be back on her face. Peeking over the tops of them, she gave another grin. "Far be it from me to tell you how to treat your pets. What's it to me if you show one of them more affection than the other?"

" _More_?" Danny tsked, shaking his head. "Now, Spectra, you're just being rude! I'd never pick favorites! And if I absolutely had to? It'd be me." There was a 'snerk' sound from Randy, followed by a roll of his eyes. Spectra only narrowed her own, dark smile on her face.

"You know, I'm noticing that you're not _denying_ the fact they're nothing but _pets_ to you."

"Oh, no, they _are_ far more than pets." Danny only gave a smirk, looking incredibly amused by something. The teen gave the collar around Randy's neck a tug. "Too bad you'd never know anything like that."

Spectra raised an eyebrow at Randy's flustered blush, the man doing absolutely _nothing_ to stop the teen. "Hmph. Figures a freak like you would find more freaks to shack up with."

"Nothing as freaky as a living shadow, hun." He raised his own eyebrow back, giving her a grin. "Wow. You must really know what it's like to live in people's shadows. Because you're not even a total _person_. Just some scum that should have curled up and died a long time ago."

"That's what ended up with me here, sweetie. After all, hell wasn't quite ready for me, yet." Floating into the air, Spectra decided it was time to leave. Any more picking and Danny would either throw it back at her, or they'd start fighting. And as much as she wanted that kid's energy, she wanted to be _smart_ about it. Although she could give him a few parting words. "The real question is, Danny dear, is if you've told your little pets what's going to be happening in the future." A small giggle. "Doesn't being king sound _fun_?"

Once she was gone, Danny's shoulders shook for a moment before he was turning back towards Andrew and Randy with a happy grin. "So, any other booths you wanna hit?"

"I mean, there's not any _booths_ I want to hit," Randy shrugged, pausing a moment before cuddling around Danny and nuzzling their cheeks together. "If it helps, we sort of already know everything about the king thing. I had to reassure Andy about it a few months ago when he went research crazy trying to find a way to help you and make everything easier."

"Yeah... Yeah, I figured." Danny sighed, leaning back against him as his voice dropped to a whisper. "I don't want to be, though."

"We figured," Andrew smiled, cupping Danny's cheek and pressing a kiss to the tip of his nose. "Do you want to go home, for now? The marketplace is going to be here for the rest of summer, after all." Danny gave a small nod, only taking a short breath. He just...needed to not _be there_. A flash and the three were in the gardens with...Randy struggling to climb out of the pond and looking pathetic.

"I, uh, was slightly distracted, I think..." A small slip, Randy looking even more pathetic. "It's claiming my soul." Andrew rolled his eyes, slipping away from Danny to help Randy out of the pond.

"What were you _distracted_ by?" Randy only phased the water off and clung to Andrew, huffing quietly.

"...I _might_ have been thinking about Spectra's comments, a small amount." A pounce and he was tackling Danny in a hug, wrapping around the teen and setting down in a sun spot with him. "Cuddle captive."

Andrew sat down beside the two with a quiet chuckle. He ran a hand through Danny's hair, giving a lock of it a small tug. "Are you feeling better, mon cher?" Danny only remained silent, hiding his face in Randy's chest as he pulled tightly on his scarf.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" Randy asked quietly, hand running through the teen's hair and falling down to rub small circles across the spine. "Pretty sure talking things is supposed to be good." The teen shook his head, curling up tightly.

"Alright, we won't push the matter." Andrew ran a gentle hand through Danny's hair, settling down a bit more beside the two. "When you wish to talk about it, however, we'll be here to listen."

"That goes for anything. Whether a bad day at school, a video game you can't beat, or something as serious as this...we're here for you." Randy nudged Danny's cheek with his own, offering a small smile. "Even if we weren't mates, you'd _still_ be stuck with us."

"I love you," The teen said quietly as he seemed to settle down himself. His tail was giving small flicks while the rest of him lay prone on top of Randy.

"Je t'aime aussi, mon douce." Randy settled down himself, curling around Danny protectively and lightly rubbing at weak spots and pressing gentle kisses to his skin. "And I love the nerd who returned with more books than he left with."

Andrew scoffed, rolling his eyes as he shoved at Randy's shoulder. "I have better books to trade with!" At the affection, Danny was only quietly humming, his tail slowly settling.

"This is why Vidya is always complaining. Eventually there's going to be more books than shelves, and then where will we be, Andy? All our rooms will be sacrificed to books." Randy pawed at Andrew, trying to drag him down to rest next to them.

"...You don't know, do you?" Andrew laid on his back, his head turned towards Randy.

"...No, but I'm curious as to what it is I don't know."

"What, did you think that the gardens formed with her?"

"Ooh. She can make _new_ rooms," Randy quietly muttered. "That...that certainly makes a lot of sense, now that I think about it. There are definitely some rooms in here that weren't when I first started coming over." A sudden groan. "Uuugghhh, we're gonna _drown_ in books, now, because it'll _never end_." Vidya only happily hummed because really, she was _perfectly_ fine with this. A moment's pause, and Sasha and Mufasa were coming into the gardens and laying down beside the three of them.

There was a pause where Sasha rested her head on top of Randy's, the man finally giving a deep sigh of defeat. "Dammit...I actually _like_ the lions now." Sasha nuzzled against him at that, Danny giving a ghost of a smile. "I blame you both for me liking _cats_ of all things. Hmph."

"Hey, Andy," Danny quietly said. Andrew hummed curiously, absently rubbing at the teen's sides. "When's Randy's birthday?"

"December 3rd," Andrew snickered, easily keeping Randy from silencing him.

"Aaannnddddyyyy."

"Mmkay... Maybe..." Waiting until next year. That would work. Randy only whined, tucking Danny under his chin.

"Stop plotting! I can tell when you two are plotting! They're plottiful plots of plot!" At Andrew's look, Randy stuck his tongue out. "I will cause you pain for as long as you rat me out. You know this."

"If it helps, Andy doesn't know, either."

"...It helps." Settling down, Randy gave a stretch before curling back around Danny. "I vote we take a cat nap." Snickering, Danny looked incredibly amused by something as his tail curled. " _Plotting_."


	18. Fudge Heals All

**Kit - Jazz is best big sister and Clockwork is going to die.**

 **Kas - Why is- Ohhh yeah!**

 **Kit - Timekeepers, though, amirite?**

 **Kas - Get out.**

* * *

"So... What don't you already know?"

"Depends...what is it that you _don't_ want me to know," Jazz shot back, amused as she watched Danny from the couch. "So, _are_ Randy and Andrew brothers?"

"Jazz... I want you to know _everything_." Danny sighed, toying with his scarf before answering her second question. "No. They were kinda raised like they were, but they knew they weren't."

"Well, that's a start with me knowing everything," Jazz smiled, tugging Danny down on his next pass by. "Danny, come on. You know I'm going to stay silent and not repeat anything you want to tell me. Plus, I'm your big sister. I'm here for you." Jazz gave a reassuring smile, pulling Danny into a hug. "Also, it was obvious, Randy was far too handsy around you."

"Yeah. I guess. So, we're all three..." He crossed three of his fingers as best he could, frowning as he used the other hand to try to get them to wrap around. Jazz gave a snort of laughter, gently lowering his hand.

"I figured as much, and that's perfectly fine. I'm happy if you're happy. Speaking of, _are_ things alright? Relationships are rather complicated to begin with, three people more so. Are you talking things out when you need to? Things like that?"

"We- Yeah... It's more like- Like, we're forced to talk about a problem when we barely even knew it was a problem." Like Andrew's speed healing, or _his_ status.

"Well, that's a good thing. Better to talk about it early, before it becomes a _big_ problem." A slight pause, Jazz glancing away. "And you all aren't...rushing anything, right?" Danny gave a shake of his head.

" _They_ haven't even..." He gave a vague wave of his hand.

"...Really? I have to admit, I would _not_ have expected that, considering how they act."

"Yeah. I think we're all just kinda trying to take things slow." Danny gave a small shrug as he finally settled into his seat on the couch. "Andy and I haven't in a while, either."

"I won't say that's good or bad, but it's perfectly fine to take things slow, and probably a good thing considering all that's going on." Jazz ruffled Danny's hair, leaning against the teen. "So when did all this start, then?"

"Uh... We got together like halfway into second semester? Yeah. Yeah, that sounds right." He leaned back with a quiet hum.

"What, seriously? I would have thought at _least_ a month _before_ that."

"Yeah, no, that was when I was losing my mind with worry because _Andrew_ but _Randy_." Jazz nodded, looking understanding.

"Completely fair- How does the whole...mate thing work into this, though?" Relationships she could help with, but the whole 'ghost' thing threw a wrench into her advice works.

"Yeah. That's the thing. We all are." He looked a _tiny_ bit nervous because...outside of each other, they'd never really said it aloud.

"Shouldn't you have realized before now, then, if that was the case? Or was it just where you all were denying your feelings?" Jazz looked curious, not an ounce of doubt or judgement in her tone or voice.

"Yeah- Yeah, that. Well, remember it took me a while to figure out everything with Andy, too."

"True, I imagine because they kept up the pretense of brothers, that's also why it was delayed with them." Jazz gave another nod, looking to Danny. "One last question, though... Are you happy? With all three of you together, are you really, truly, _for sure_ happy?"

Pausing for a long moment, the teen gave a happy nod. "Yeah. I am." Because he could see himself spending the rest of his life with the two of them- Not that _that_ was very long. But the point was made.

"Then I'm happy for you all." And, yes, it was time for little brother hugs. "You shall never escape. Mua ha ha- Oh, right. You've been making time for Sam and Tucker, too, right?" Because healthy relationships were all well and good, but it was important for him to make time for his friends, too.

"Yeah. We're going to see a movie, this weekend." Danny hummed happily at the hugs. "Oh. Yeah... So, you still don't know... _everything_."

"What else is part of 'everything', then?" Jazz tucked the teen under her chin, poking at his stomach. "You don't have to tell me everything if you don't want to, you know. You're _allowed_ to have secrets, even if you think you shouldn't."

"I know. But I _want_ you to know. You remember how I beat Pariah Dark?"

"Kind of hard to forget, little brother." A horrible shudder. "Mom broadcasted to the whole _town_ that I was _single_. Eugh."

"So, ghosts have a kinda weird system and long story short I'm probably gonna die in the next few years and become the Ghost King." There was a long few moments of silence between them, Jazz flopping back onto the couch with Danny still in her arms.

"Remind me to bitch out Clockwork, later. He promised to tell me if you were going to die before you were thirty." A groan, Jazz snuggling close to Danny. "Daaannnyyy. Wwwhhhyyy."

"To be fair he can't really see much and he doesn't know that much right now cause I also have time powers and I'm blocking his vision on accident." Another whine of pure _pain_ , Jazz clinging to Danny.

"Isn't this sort of a thing that he should _know_? Or be told about? Or _something_?"

"Which part?"

"Both parts. He should know both parts. That seems- That seems like something that should be said to him." A dramatic sigh, Jazz standing up and tugging Danny towards the kitchen. "I'm making fudge and I'm going to spoil you with it."

"He _knows_ , I think he's just really hoping that the King thing doesn't happen for a while." Jazz only dug around for a long few moments before shoving a Riter cookie in Danny's mouth.

"I need to process this. I need to process this while making fudge- That's to tide you over. Andrew hides cookies in all the places you visit so if you have a breakdown we can distract you with them until we can get a hold of him." Danny looked down to the cookie with startlement before munching on it and sitting on the kitchen table.

"Oh, hi, honey!"

"Hi, Mom. Hi, Dad," he said around the cookie in his mouth. While Jack ruffled his hair happily, Maddie was raising an eyebrow at Jazz as she gathered supplies.

"Jasmine, why are you making fudge."

"I have to try and wrap my mind around something. It's therapeutic."

"She'll probably be fine," Danny hummed as he leaned into the hand.

"Uh huh. And would you kids mind filling us in?"

Danny looked up to parents and okay. This was it. No going back. He stared at them with a straight face. "I'm the Wisconsin Ghost."

"Oh, obviously," Maddie snorted, seeming _overly_ amused. "How did we never guess it. Truly, such terrible parents, we are." Another added ruffle of Danny's hair. "Shall we be concerned about plots to take over the world from you, then?"

At the amusement, Danny glanced to Jazz. Did they... Jazz only shrugged, looking just as confused. "I would watch out for Vlad." At Danny's comment, Jack gave a chuckle while Maddie only snorted.

"Danny, I've been doing that since _college_." At Jack's look, Maddie waved it off. "No, no, just a little inside joke." A sweet smile.

" _Mom._ " Danny sounded _horrified,_ shaking his head.

"To be fair, I could be blamed for that behavior of his, back then," Maddie slowly nodded, shrugging at all their looks. "Look, it was a late night, I didn't have my work done, Vlad was top of the class. I am not ashamed to admit I might have used him a _bit_. I apologized for it, though!"

"...You know what, no, I can't blame you for that at all."

"You've done the same to Andrew, haven't you?"

"Of course I have," he said, sounding offended.

"Such a wonderful son, I have."


	19. About Damn Time

**Kit - Aa, I love 'bonding' scenes~**

 **Kas - You homo.**

 **Kit - Pandemic***

 **Kas - *I do not mean homo as a derogatory, she's basically my sister and she knows that I'm being quite literal.**

 **Kit - I'm very gay when the occassion calls for it. It's chill. We're just messing with each other. Also, basically? _Basically_. I'VE BOUGHT YOU BOOKS! I _AM_ YOUR SISTER AT THIS POINT!**

* * *

"So, I need help with this." Danny barely had time to finish before Randy was flopping on him and knocking him down, settling comfortably on top of his chest with a little hum.

"What do you need help with? The whole college classes thing you've been stressing over?"

"Kinda, yeah. More like a major." Danny held his paper out to Randy, a scratch sheet of paper for pros and cons of each thing, both as a major and minor. Randy shifted and took it to read it over, eyebrow raising at some of the choices.

"...Diplomacy as a _major_?" He could see it as a minor... Maybe Danny thought about the King thing more often than either of them had realized.

"Well, it's just an _option,_ " Danny huffed, crossing his arms. He didn't need to be so _judgy._

"Alright, is this narrowed down to the ones you really want to take, then?" Randy cuddled around Danny and kissed his cheek, passing the paper over to Andrew, who had moved to sit beside them.

"The ones I don't totally hate, or are at least kinda interested." Randy blinked at that, shifting to be able to better look at Danny.

"Are there any that you're _really_ interested in? That's kinda the point of college, yeah? Learning about things you're really into." Danny glanced over to Randy before giving a stubborn shrug. "Daannnyyy."

"The college you're going to has Paranormal Studies as a major?" Andrew seemed curious at that, rooting around the brochures that were _scattered_ around.

"It's in Wisconsin, and within driving distance of Amity. I'm really not _that_ surprised."

"Point." A flick through the brochure, Andrew giving a slow nod. "It seems...rather accurate at a first glance." A sudden snort of laughter, the ghost looking amused. "Did you see where it says it's funded by the Dalv Corporation?"

"Yeeaaah, about that." Randy snorted, patting at Danny's cheek.

"He's paying for everything, isn't he?"

"He _insisted_ ," Danny whined, looking miserable as he leaned against Randy, who snatched him before shifting and twisting. Soon enough Danny was tucked under his chin, Randy leaning against Andrew comfortably.

"I assume he had the excuse of 'eighteen years of godfather presents to make up for'?" Andrew half-asked, flipping through some of the other brochures. Not all of them...were good ones. At least, not for Danny. "You have Fashion Design on this list-"

"Don't do it!" Randy was grabbing Danny by his shoulders, slightly shaking him. "It's not worth it! They always criticize you and tear you down and mock every piece of clothing you make it's not worth it!"

"What? I was just thinking about it as a minor." Danny gave a shrug, gently running a hand through Randy's hair. "It wouldn't be something I'm totally serious about."

"...Ha ha. Right. I knew that." At Andrew's look, Randy batted at his arm. "Ssh. You know nothing." He might have fudged the truth a _little_ when he said his major had been related to math.

"Riiight." Danny rolled his eyes.

"Creative Writing, mon cher?" At that, Randy glanced at the list again.

"You have a lot of choices, on this list, ya know- Oo, art majors."

"Yeah, that's why I'm trying to narrow it down," the teen pointed out with a groan. Andrew nodded, picking up a pen.

"Alright, let us help. We'll cross things off as we go. First off, what do you want college to do for _you_."

"Help?"

"And what do you want it to help _with_?" While Andrew spoke, Randy was happily spoiling Danny with little kisses and scratches. Danny stared up at them, absently leaning into the touches as he gave a shrug. Andrew gave a huff at that, readjusting the way he was sitting, his leg bouncing. Randy raised an eyebrow at that, and, huh. Strange.

"Do you want college to help with a future career? Help better yourself? Help teach you something you didn't know? It helps narrow it down a lot when you know what you want to come _out_ of going to college."

"...All? Is that an option?"

"Yes, that can be an option, but only if the major or minor answers yes to all three questions." Snagging the list, Randy took the pen from Andrew as well. "Example, fashion design. Does it help with a future career? Does it help better yourself? And, does it teach you something you didn't know that you _want_ to know?"

"...I thought it sounded cool." Danny gave a shrug, looking similar to a scolded child as he hunched down. Pen no longer in his hands, Andrew picked up a pencil nearby, fiddling with it. Randy spared him a glance before looking back to Danny.

"And that's perfectly fine. I know I wanted to take, like, fifteen majors when I signed up for my own classes," Randy soothed, nuzzling at Danny's cheek. "But you want something that...will better you as a _person_ , I suppose. Something that will help you be a better you. Does that help, any?"

"I guess." Danny huffed as he leaned back against Randy, his eyes starting to slide closed because _streeessss_ and the little bit of sleep he got was _awful_. Randy rubbed at his back, kissing at his temple.

"Why don't you take a nap, for a bit, yeah? It's always better to make a decision when you're well rested, instead of tired."

"Or I can get this done now and not worry about it later," he pointed out.

"Alright, if you want," Randy shrugged, handing the pen and paper over and settling down, quietly humming a song under his breath. It didn't take much persuasion to have Vidya joining in and soothingly playing in their heads. Danny huffed, looking upset as he continued to lean against Randy.

Even with his huff, it wasn't hard to see that he was only half awake, at that point, eyes drooping as he glared at the paper. "You know, you're being rude," he complained as he marked off a couple things here and there. Randy's response was to peck Danny on the cheek, gently rubbing at his back as he kept up his humming. "Ver- Very-" The teen gave a yawn as the pen slipped out of his grasp. "Very rude."

"You're not wrong," Randy chuckled, taking the pen and paper and setting it aside, continuing his actions until Danny was well and truly asleep. Nodding, the older gave a nudge to Andrew. "You're rather fidgety, today." Andrew looked up to Randy, blinking from where he'd _finally_ looked calm.

"...Am I? I don't feel as though I am." Randy snorted, wiggling around and adjusting so Danny was on the couch, Randy floating up into the air and nudging and dragging Andrew towards the training room.

"Trust me, love, you are. If I had to guess, it's leftover from where you were reuniting all your selves, and such. You're as fidgety as you were when you were a teen and we hadn't gone on a mission."

Andrew gave a hum as he took to the air, following after Randy. "I'm not that bad off. I'm just...a bit restless, I suppose."

"A bit," Randy snorted, getting them into the room before letting Andrew's hand go. "Alright, powers or hand-to-hand? Or I can just trap you in a bubble and watch as you try to escape."

"We haven't gone hand to hand, in a while," the man hummed, slightly tilting his head as he examined Randy, already looking for weak points.

"That's because we both hate it," Randy snorted, absently shrugging his coat and guns and setting them off to the side in the corner. And maybe snagging Andrew's coat as well. "No coats. Wouldn't want a repeat of when you were fourteen, after all."

Andrew rolled his eyes, looking exasperated as he crossed his arms, his foot tapping. "You've said that for the past _thirty years_."

"Yeah, but you gotta admit it's easier to move," Randy grinned, looking completely relaxed before launching himself at Andrew. "Now let's get rid of some of that excess energy, oui?" Andrew immediately jabbed his shoulder into the center of the man's chest, giving a small exhale. Yes. This was- This was perfect. This was exactly what he needed.

Randy seemed to anticipate the move coming since he was quickly dodging before snatching Andrew and throwing him over his shoulder, the younger recovering and launching himself forward back into close combat. It was quite a bit of this before Randy finally managed to have Andrew pinned to the floor in a way that _wouldn't_ end with him getting kicked in the stomach. "You, cheri, are a bit out of practice."

" _That_ is because I don't go out on missions anymore," Andrew said, panting heavily as he stared up at Randy.

"That's no excuse for being sloppy," Randy teased, lips barely brushing against Andrew's. "Feeling any better?" Andrew pressed a kiss to Randy's lips, leaning closer.

"A bit," he relented. "I could be feeling much better, though." Randy rolled his eyes, looking more amused than anything as he pressed a kiss to the side of Andrew's neck, lightly nipping at the spot.

"You know, I don't remember you being this flirtatious and charming back when we were younger."

"What can I say," Andrew said as a purr laced through his voice. "You were a bigger influence on me than you realized."

"Apparently." And flushed, fresh-from-a-fight Andrew was _adorable_ , Randy had to admit. And extra snuggly, he had found out. So, really, he might have taken advantage of that a _bit_ when he sucked and nipped on the pulse point of the neck, hands sliding under the younger's shirt to leave little scratches and marks. Andrew gave a hiss of a gasp, his fingers curling into Randy's shirt as he pressed back into him, nuzzling at the man's neck. It was hardly a moment before Randy was jerking him into a deep, heavy kiss, nails digging into his sides and leaving just as deep marks.

Andrew gave a quiet moan into the kiss, pressing back just as much as he lightly licked at Randy's bottom lip. His arms curled around Randy's neck, _maybe_ digging nails into it a tiny bit before dragging down towards his shoulder blades. That got a very _clear_ moan from Randy, the man shaking and arching into Andrew's touches. Parting from the kiss, and breathing a bit heavily, his gaze was utterly _adoring_. Andrew nuzzled against him, pulling him back into another kiss as he wrapped a leg around Randy. Pushing his tongue into the other's mouth to distract him, he switched their positions, pinning Randy down.

Randy hardly seemed to even _notice_ the new position, instead gripping Andrew's shirt and pulling him closer, tiny moan slipping through the kiss again. Andrew, his leg still hooked around Randy, smirked as he pushed his hips into Randy's just so, groaning as he did so. "A-Ah- That- That was uncalled for." Randy was blushing _very_ brightly, keeping Andrew close as he went back to nipping and sucking on his neck, and _maybe_ rolling his hips up into Andrew's. "You're so cruel."

"Mm, perhaps," Andrew said with a grin, his own face bright purple as he ground down into Randy. "But you love it." He pulled Randy into a demanding kiss, keeping his wrists pinned. Randy was relenting into the kiss at once, giving Andrew every aspect of control as he moved against him, fingers twitching and this was certainly not the plan but he was _definitely_ not against it.

"Yeah, guess I kinda do." In a near flash, the two were landing on the bed, Andrew using Randy's moment of distraction to move away, and straddle him. "So, what was that about working off excess energy?" Randy's hands were settling on Andrew's hips to keep him close, the ghost looking perfectly fine with the situation they were in. "Because you'd know I'd be delighted to help."

"Oh, I'm _sure_ you would be," Andrew said as he leaned forward to peck Randy's lips sweetly, muttering against them. "Show me?"

"Darling, I'd be _delighted_."


	20. Attack of the Mini-Mes

**Kit - Heh. Heheheh. They have arrived.**

 **Kas - They're heeeree~**

 **Kit - You should totally read 'It Only Takes A Week' on our accounts if you're still confused. We...we probably uploaded the chapter with them. We...we get distracted by different things a lot.**

 **Kas - I'm like 60% sure.**

* * *

"You know, I'd like to point out that a cave isn't the _best_ place to hide. It's kind of a dead end." Randy stared at the cave, having curiously saw a gaggle of young looking ghosts from a distance. He hadn't quite expected them to dart into the cave and hide, and he didn't want to _scare_ them.

"Come on, get it? Dead end? It's a pun!" The oldest - or, he looked the oldest at least - glared at him and herded the two girls further into the cave. "Alright, a little dark, I'll admit, um... Hi. I'm Randy. You don't have to be afraid, or anything, you know. Ghosts don't hurt kids, especially ones as young as you-"

"We're not scared," the oldest snapped out, eyes narrowed into a glare as he gripped a sword at his side, Randy tilting his head curiously at that. "Look, we've dealt with other ghosts enough, just...leave us alone."

The youngest of the three was staring at Randy for a moment before tugging on the oldest's shirt. "Josh," she said quietly. He... _seemed_ nice enough. Maybe they could trust him. Josh only huffed, glaring at Randy.

"Why would you even care. You don't even _know_ us."

"I don't, but I wouldn't mind getting to know you." Randy sat down on the ground where he was, a dozen or so feet away from the cave entrance. Giving a reassuring smile, he spoke again, "I'm Randy, I've been a ghost for about thirty or so years. You guys feel like maybe telling me your names?"

The middle child cleared her throat, ignoring Josh's look. "I'm Stacy. The little one is Annie, and this is Josh. Have we...seen you around, before?"

"You might have! I travel around a lot, less so, nowadays, but I definitely wouldn't be surprised if you had seen me before." Randy glanced the children over, taking in the ragged state of them, not very surprised. Some of the younger ghost children didn't always have lairs or doors... "So, do you three live around here, then?"

He noticed Josh seemed to be debating something before he was making a small gesture to the other two, flopping down against the cave wall and looking to settle. Stacy took the conversation over from there, tilting her head curiously at Randy as she stepped a bit closer. "We...don't, really. We kinda wander- Is that your natural hair color?"

"Sort of," Randy chuckled, making himself look as nonthreatening as possible. It wasn't the first time he had come across scared and lost ghost children who didn't have anyone. "When I was human I dyed it white, and when I became a ghost, it _became_ my natural hair color. If you ask me, though, your hair is _much_ prettier." Josh looked to be about ten or so, Stacy seven, and Annie couldn't be any older than _five_. Even if they had been ghosts for a while...they were still kids.

"Huh. Interesting." Stacy looked curious, Annie following after her and clinging to her leg.

"Your eyes are really pretty." Aw...she was _adorable_.

"Thank you," Randy smiled, noticing that while the girls came closer, Josh stayed where he was, careful eye on them. "So, I haven't seen you three before, really. Although it is kind of a big place. Have you been in the Ghost Zone for long?"

"Yeah, a while," Stacy answered 'casually.' "I think we've seen you before, though..." She was frowning and looking as though she were trying to place him to a memory.

"It's fine if you can't remember," Randy assured, giving a little wave to Annie. Adorably tiny ghostlings. "It might've been a while, or just in passing. So, are you guys always on your own like this? Usually the older ghosts look after the younger ones, here and there. Or at least point them in the right direction." Stacy gave a small shrug, running a hand through Annie's hair.

"Yeah, we've run into a few, but... We kinda like just...being with each other." And Josh was a protective ass who barely let them interact with other ghosts.

"Well that's fair," Randy smiled. "I have two people I really like being with, more than anything. If I thought that other ghosts might wish them harm, though, I'd probably be pretty worried about other ghosts showing up around them." Floating up, he slowly and carefully flew over to Josh before settling back down. "So, Josh, right?"

"Fuck off." The child had barely even _glanced_ at Randy.

" _Josh_ ," Stacy said, covering Annie's ears as she glared at him. Annie was looking upset as well, her arms crossed as she pouted.

"No, no, it's fine," Randy waved off, looking more amused, than anything. "I kinda acted the same way at his age." Glancing back down to the child, Randy gave a tiny sigh. "I'm guessing you've met some ghosts that haven't been too kind, then." At the look, Randy nodded. "That's what I thought...cliche as it sounds, not all of us are the bad guys. Sure we get kind of...crazy, but generally we don't hurt kids. We _never_ hurt kids. So I'm sorry for whatever happened in your past to make you distrust everyone, whether that be your ghost past, or your human one."

There was a long moment of silence with Josh glancing to his sisters before he was flopping against Randy's side, looking utterly relaxed. Nodding, Randy looked back to the girls. "So, do you kids usually stay so close to the Black Woods? Cause, I gotta say out of experience, it's not the safest place to be."

Stacy frowned as she released Annie, flying over to sit down beside Josh. "What are the Black Woods?"

Annie perked up at the name, hovering off the ground as she sped towards them. "Are they a forest? Is there wolves? Can we go there?" Randy laughed, catching the girl very gently and setting her down.

"Easy there, mon petit. Yes, the Black Woods is a forest, and there are a lot more nasty things than wolves in there. Maybe not go there if you can help it, though. Or at least, not without a powerful ghost to look after you. They're _very_ dangerous, after all." Josh only glanced up at him, eyebrow raising.

"You're a powerful ghost." The tone it was said in near reminded him of Andrew, and, really. Randy had a feeling this would be the one kid Andrew might _like_ if they ever met. Annie looked upset at that as she fell against Stacy, looking _pathetic_.

"But I _wanna_." Stacy pet Annie's head before looking to Randy, expression rather pathetic and...hopeful.

"Maybe if you have time...you could take us there? Just for a few minutes! We wouldn't be much trouble, and we know how to look after ourselves."

"Ah..." She was faking it. They both knew she was faking. Randy _knew_ she was _faking_ it but...but tiny ghostling child who looked so precious and innocent. "...I'm so weak..."

::

"Alright, so, what have we learned when facing a giant creature of doom and destruction?"

"To always let Josh deal with it," Annie said, her head hung from where she was on Stacy's back.

"To watch the claws and always go for the core," Josh added in, looking quite proud of himself as he followed after Randy. Of course, Randy was trying not to snort, and _really_. Andrew would have _loved_ this kid, and Danny would probably adore Annie. "Also to not brag unless I'm out of range."

"Close enough. Stacy, what'd you learn?"

Stacy looked up at him sweetly, and gave a smile. "That you're a hero." There was a long moment of silence, Randy looking down to Josh.

"Your sister is evil, you know that, right?" There had been quite a lot of sharing and bonding on their little forest trip, and Randy had found out a few things about the kids. They'd be in the Zone for near thirty years, and they were all siblings - as well as utterly _adorable_. "She's very evil."

"Try dealing with both of them," Josh snorted, glancing around when he saw they were getting to an island filled with ghosts. And maybe floating closer to Randy. "Where are we."

"The marketplace," Randy answered simply. "I'm gonna pick some things up. You have no idea how well these things sell, especially the pelt." Josh gave him a bit of a strange look, snagging Stacy's shirt and dragging her a bit closer.

"Yeah, okay, but why did you drag _us_ here? I mean, you could have just dropped us back off at the cave. Or something." While Stacy swatted her brother's hand, Randy only shrugged.

"Figured you might want something to eat. Maybe a couple blankets." Josh only eyed him - and okay, maybe he could let Stacy wander a _bit_ since Randy was here.

"Why...do you care. You just met us today." Seriously. It wasn't like Randy _owed_ them anything.

"It's kinda a thing. Whatever ghosts that may have done something to you? Honestly, they should be attacked. It's just a thing. You take care of the younger ones." He gestured to Stacy and Annie. "Kinda like you do with them."

"...I guess we just have bad luck, a lot," Josh sighed, hand absently clenching at Randy's shirt as he followed after, glancing to his sisters every so often. "So, this...marketplace. Is it always here?"

"During the summer, it's every week. During the rest of the year, it's once a month." Randy absently ruffled his hair with a hum. "So. Do you know what ghost it was?"

"I mean, a lot of it was just ghosts brushing us off, which, yeah, that's fine. No one wants to deal with three kids who know nothing about this place, right? _That_ one, though..." He curled a bit closer to Randy, absently glancing around. "She...she _enjoyed_ seeing us suffer. Saying things that got reactions- She made Annie sob for _hours_ , after we met her..."

Randy near froze up, forcing himself to continue walking. "What did she look like?" Because no. No, she was evil, but she would never- None of them. You _never_ hurt the children of the Zone.

"Tall, sort of thin, red hair shaped kind of weirdly, dressed in red, too. She seemed to get...younger, the longer we talked to her. And a few times her form...flickered. Looked like shadows." A pause, Josh seeming to be thinking for a moment before giving a slow nod. "I think she said her name, but...I don't remember it. Might have started with an S?" A shrug. "I try to forget it, mostly."

Randy gave a quiet chuckle, his eyes flashing red for a brief moment. "Petit mec, you have just made my day." Josh blinked at that, looking curious as Randy dug his phone out. "I'm going to take a quick picture of you guys, okay? No worries, just want to remember meeting three cuties like you." Josh rolled his eyes with a snort.

"Whatever." Nudging them together, Randy snapped a picture and texted it to his mates, along with promise of explaining the story when he got home.

"Great, now let's get you guys some things for that cave of yours, yeah?" Harming children, huh? _Hurting_ children of the Spirit World... Oh...

He couldn't _wait_ until he saw Spectra again.


	21. The Truth Shall Set You Free

**Kit - Time knows all. Also, Spectra is a BITCH.**

 **Kas - Yep, Time's a bitch.**

 **Kit - Hey now. Leader is much better than that.**

 **Kas - Leader's only an apprentice right now.**

 **Kit - Oh, then, yeah. Time's a bitch.**

* * *

"Is there a reason you continue to try and sneak up on me when I've already told you the door is always open?" A pause, Vlad tilting his head in slight amusement. "Well, at least in sentiment."

"Because I'm _going_ to be able to." Danny sat down on the couch Vlad kept in his lab, leaning forward with his hands clasped in front of him. "I need your help with something."

"...Alright. What do you need help with." While normally Vlad would be all for teasing the teen, Danny admitting he needed help from _him_? That...was something. And it was probably something serious.

"Say there is someone you... _begrudgingly_ consider an equal. They do something completely out of line that everyone in your line of work would frown upon. Only you and a select few know about it. What would you do?"

Vlad paused at the table he was working at, slowly setting down what he was working on before turning around to look at Danny and lean against the table. While normally he would ask Danny what the hell was going on...he _was_ an adult now, and could make his own decisions and choices. Coddling him would do nothing. "Well...I suppose I would set them aside and make it known just how and why they were out of line. _Seriously_ let them know. If they refused to listen or continue on with what they were doing...I would terminate them." A slight smirk. "From their job, of course, if this was with one of my employees."

"But it's _not_. That's-" Danny pinched the bridge of his nose with a sigh. "Say it was one of your competitors. What then?"

"Ah, see, now you're being more specific." At the look, Vlad relented with a sigh. "I _would_ take them aside and explain to them seriously why what they did was so wrong. If they refused to listen to me...I suppose in my case I would turn over all proof to someone who could take care of it, or a news station, at least. If I didn't have proof and it was only by word...that'd be a lot trickier to deal with."

Danny leaned back in his seat with a quiet sigh, and a nod. "And how would you deal with it, should it only be by word?"

"It...depends on what was done, I suppose," Vlad admitted. "If it was something simple like embezzling or such, I would most likely dig up something else in their company to get them in trouble. Better they suffer from something, than nothing. If it was a lot more serious... I would remove them from their job and strip away all their power by whatever means necessary, even at the risk of myself."

Giving a slow nod, Danny looked to Vlad. "Sorry. How are you?" There was a long moment of silence before it was broken with a snort of laughter, Vlad looking _vastly_ amused.

"Small talk was never really our thing, dear boy. I won't ask you to explain what's going on, or why it was you needed to ask that, but I will ask if you're alright."

"I...will be, at least." The teen looked to be back to his usual self as he reclined across the couch with a groan, an arm thrown over his eyes. "I hate this so much."

"'This' being responsibility, or 'this' being taking on work that you don't need to but feel obliged to do?" Vlad was rooting around the lab for a short minute, the sound of something crashing heard before there was a small pressure on his forehead. "I'll say this much, those mates of yours are prepared for anything."

"Thanks," he muttered, munching on the offered cookie. "To answer your question? Yes. To answer the one you haven't said, Spectra."

"Ugh. I was _hoping_ it wasn't her." A wrinkle of his nose, Vlad looking a bit upset. "I had the ever so _fortunate_ luck to meet her shortly after I acquired my own powers." A small snort of bitter amusement. "One of the reasons I was _as_ bitter in the beginning..."

"Yeah? So did a couple of _kids_." At that, Vlad was going still, looking to be thinking over his words before giving a long, drawn out sigh.

"That...is not good." There were rules, in the Ghost Zone. He had learned that quickly. Rules, and a few _laws_. Attacking children spirits...could earn you more than being on the bad side of Walker. "Would you like me to leave this to you, then?"

"I was hoping so, yeah." Danny rubbed at his eyes, giving a sigh. "One of them was _five_."

"Unless you wish me to leave right this second and tear her head off, it would probably be better if you refrained from saying anything further." Vlad was sitting down on the couch next to Danny, looking to be trying to calm himself. "I know her personality is nastier than most, but...I wouldn't have expected this of her."

"About twenty years ago? Remember, this was before her two _favorites_ were around." Vlad snorted at that, lightly tapping at Danny's leg.

"Speaking of, anymore unpleasant encounters with her that I haven't heard about? I heard that she was rather embarrassed at the marketplace, recently." A rather amused - and slightly proud - smile.

"Yeah. That one was pretty fun. I think she wasn't expecting that Randy was actually _with_ us." Danny gave him a nudge back. "She tried to actually go after _him_ when he wandered off. Before I stepped in, he had her pinned to the ground with a gun to her core." A muttered comment of 'should have let him do it.'

"That doesn't surprise me," Vlad snorted, almost absently fidgeting with the edge of the teen's jeans. "He worked for me a time or two in the beginning, as he's most likely told you. Rather laid back, but I'm certainly not surprised that he would have snapped at _her_ \- You really should get new clothes, Daniel. These are _very_ worn."

"Yeah well I _like_ 'em that way, fruitloop. Yeah, I'm expecting a 'visit' from her soon. No way is she letting that one go so easy."

Somewhere in another dimension, a bookworm with reality shifting powers shuddered.

"As always, dear boy, your grammar is horrifying. Do let me know if you need my help, although I doubt you will. Even with your stubborn nature, you can handle these things on your own." A small pat to the jeans, the older halfa giving a softer smile. "I've very proud of how far you've come, Daniel."

"Yeah, well, don't act like I'm the only one, _Vladimir_." Danny had a hand on Vlad's shoulder, using it to push himself to standing.

"Yes, yes," Vlad waved off, swatting the other away gently before he was standing himself. "Speaking of, I promised I'd visit Madeline and Jack today. If I'm not there somewhat on time Madeline will probably throw me into the Ghost Zone after stealing my wallet. Again."

"You stopped carrying cash, right?" Danny rose an eyebrow at him, looking more amused than anything, before his eyes widened. "Wait... Did you tell them?"

"...I did, actually, a few weeks ago." A small shrug. "I couldn't...explain why I had avoided them so long without bringing the subject up...of course your secret is still yours to keep, as it has always been. As far as I know, myself, they have no idea of it, yet. And yes, I did stop carrying cash. She was the reason I stopped."

The teen slowly nodded as he changed into his ghost form. Vlad told them... Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea, telling them his own secret. He looked up to Vlad with a bit of a smile. "Hey, Vlad?"

"Yes, Daniel?" Vlad paused from where he had been heading towards the stairs, giving the other a curious look.

His smile growing, the teen gave him a wave. "Thanks."

"You're welcome."

::

"So! Who wants to help me kill Spectra?" Randy was shooting his hand up without even a pause, Danny barely having finished the question. "Vlad gave the okay, technically, but first I wanna see if we can find other kids she tormented, that way we're more likely to have a valid reasoning. Power in numbers, and all."

"That, I think I can help with," Randy grinned, the look slightly dark. "Stacy was telling me about different kids they had run into over the years. I've run into a few myself and I usually direct them to the marketplace. Safety in numbers. If there's any others, Stacy will know where they are, or someone there will."

"Can you easily get in contact with her? I find it hard to believe she just has a cell phone on hand." Danny rose an eyebrow to Randy, looking completely serious.

"She doesn't, but she and Annie and Josh have been staying at the same cave for a while. I can easily teleport there and talk to them. If they're not there, they'd be at the marketplace in the less crowded places. Plus I've visited enough that I could track them down by their signatures if I need to."

Danny gave a nod to Randy. "Do it." Once the man was gone, Danny looked over to Andrew nervously. "What...do you think about all this, Andy? Do you think this is right?"

"I'm not sure if I'd use the word 'right'...but it's certainly something that needs to be done." Getting off the couch, Andrew headed over to Danny and gently cupped his cheek, soft kiss being pressed to his forehead. "Right and wrong start to have little meaning, the older we get, it seems... We can't let her continue doing these things, however. So whether it's right or not...I know it _is_ just."

The teen slowly nodded, leaning his head into the touch. "I just..." He sighed as he gathered his words, toying with the scarf around his neck. "I just want to do what's right."

"I'm afraid that's not a luxury you'll always get to have, mon cher." Andrew tugged the teen into a hug, wrapping around him and holding him closely. "You can't always do what's right...not with the path you're on. But you can try to do your best by others, and protect them as you always have."

"But... How am I going to know what's best?" Alright, _maybe_ this extended past the whole Spectra thing.

"By listening. By speaking with others who have different opinions, learning things you might not have known, and thinking in ways different than what you're used to... You do the best you can by trying to _be_ the best you can." A soft, warm smile. "And you do that daily. Whether with this, or in the future...you're always going to do your best. And if you ever really get lost, or stuck, know that Randy and I are here to help you through any and everything."

"Yeah..." Danny pulled him into a quick kiss. "Hey, I'll be back soon, alright? I've gotta go talk to someone." The one person that would defend Spectra, and her side of the story. And then the person that knew the entire story would be next.

It actually wasn't too hard to find Bertrand, who had been on the way to the marketplace himself. "Ah, the infamous Danny Phantom. To what do I owe _this_ displeasure of a meeting?"

Danny was rather neutral, only giving Bertrand a nod. "I'd like to speak with you about Spectra."

"As if you'd have anything _else_ to speak with me about." Seeing the teen looked like he wouldn't be going away any time soon, and having a bit of a bad feeling, Bertrand nodded his head. "Alright, alright, what do you want to ask?" And, huh, he had meant to be a bit ruder and snipper, but for some reason...he felt like he should be much more respectful.

"What do you know of her past life," he asked, the question having already been on the tip of his tongue. For a creature like her to form, it was a very valid question.

"...Not much, truthfully." Ugh, the fact he was being truthful was enough alone to almost make him sick. "I didn't start working with her until fifteen years ago, or so. When it comes to past lives, we don't really discuss it much. What I do know..." A shrug. "It wasn't the best."

"...I see." Danny nodded, flying silently for a moment. "Why do you follow her?" Almost _worshipped_ her.

"...I wasn't aware of ghosts when I formed. I knew nothing of this world, and I didn't know anything about my powers. My powers which near mirror hers- At least, when it comes to getting energy." Bertrand seemed to pause for a few moments, shaking his head. "If she hadn't found me, I would have faded. I'm aware she isn't the nicest ghost around, and certainly not the most pleasant...but we work together for a common goal." Plus he might have grown a _bit_ of a soft spot for the hag.

Hoo, boy. This was a doozy. Here came the loaded question. "And what do you know of our laws?"

There was a lengthy silence, Bertrand narrowing his eyes at Danny. "...This is about her attacks on those children, all those years ago, isn't it?"

"It is."

"I'm not surprised. I won't defend what she did, but I will say this...before then, according to what I've heard, she was still new herself. You know how her powers work. Not enough energy, she gets weak...easier for her to fade. If she was weak enough, and she saw ghostly children..." A shrug. "Children are easier to harvest from. I've never felt the need, personally. Too messy, for the laws here, but if she was desperate... Like I said. She isn't the most pleasant."

Danny gave the man a nod as they came to a stop in front of the marketplace. "Thank you, Bertrand."

"She's not the best...but she's not the complete monster others see her as." A glance to Danny. "Keep that in mind. Killing isn't so easy, after all." With that, Bertrand was walking off in another direction. He...didn't much feel like staying at the marketplace. He had a feeling he didn't want to know the outcome of this. Danny only teleported away, the sound of ticking surrounding him instantly.

"Clockwork. I'm guessing you know why I'm here."

"Even with your scattered timeline, there are some events that are very easy to see. Especially important ones." Clockwork glanced beside him, offering Danny a tired smile. "The truth, then?"

Danny gave a solemn nod. "Nothing but." In front of them, the time mirrors flickered with swirls of images and pictures, all relating to the subject at hand. Clockwork barely even seemed to notice them, only nodding back.

"The first time she attacked a child she _was_ weak, and near fading. It was...two years after she achieved her ghost form, and she had never realized how her powers worked. The child was too young, at the time, to understand the danger, and too friendly to _realize_ the danger."

Watching the images, Danny was just barely able to stop his hand from flicking so he could better view them. "What became of the child?" As he asked, he tucked both his hands into his pockets, only staring at the time mirrors.

"Emotionally scarred, but, she lived, at least... After that encounter, Spectra figured out how to use her powers, and how to drain people of energy." A beat of silence, Clockwork's voice blank, and near emotionless. "She's attacked seven children throughout her second life. Never physically, but always emotionally, draining them of energy and power. Only...five of the children still live."

"How many of them were necessary," the teen asked, his hands gripping at the scarf tightly.

"Three, including the first child. Neither of the two that faded were required for her survival. Something she was aware of, as well. She stopped attacking children after Bertrand joined her side, but she's never made any attempt to apologize or show remorse for her actions."

"...I see." If it was necessary to survive, he could have understood. Throw her in Walker's jail. But...knowing this... "Your unbiased opinion as the Master of Time?"

"Penelope Spectra is a danger to the children of the Spirit World, present and future. I have seen glimpses of what could be her future, and have seen that she will attack again, and more deaths could be possible." The tone carried the same emotionless note, not a single inflection to the words. "Whereas her attacks on adults can be passed off as fighting, those on children are against the laws of our world." Children did not have the _energy_ to go against full grown ghosts. Especially not ghosts like Spectra.

Danny nodded, giving Clockwork a worn smile. "And as Clockwork?" A long moment of silence, Clockwork's grip on his staff tightening.

"If I was not banned from choices like these, I would have taken care of her _long_ ago." Clockwork looked down to Danny, expression completely serious. "There are three times a ghost may decide if another truly deserves death when not in a fight. The Observants, when a King is not in rule, Walker, when a ghost is in his custody for breaking laws, and the King himself." A slight narrowing of the eyes. "Crowned or not." Giving a quiet gulp, Danny nodded. Yay. He loved being in charge of an entire world.

There was a bit of silence before Clockwork was settling his hand on Danny's head, the gesture as comforting as he could make it. "Some advice, if I may?" Danny only pulled tightly on his scarf, giving a small nod. "You may not have asked for this, or wished for it in any way...but believe me when I say you will be the best King this world has ever seen." A warm, caring smile. "And that's not with use of my powers, either." It was hardly a moment before Danny was hugging the man tightly, tucking himself under his chin.

Clockwork held him silently, letting the teen gather his thoughts and work through things at his own rate, as well as just relax for a few moments. "I and the rest of those who care for you will always be here to offer guidance and help. We have given you such for this dilemma, and we will continue to do so in the future. The choice, however, is up to you."

Danny gave a nod, and a sniff. "I know." He hid himself under the man's cloak. It comforted him the same way Andrew's coat did. It felt like nothing was able to get to him, from the outside world.

Pulling the cloak around him, and letting him hide for a while longer, Clockwork spoke quietly. "Daniel...if you feel you are still unready to shoulder such a heavy burden yourself, your mates are there to help you... With decisions such as these, they can see the end resolution themselves." A small tug to a lock of the younger's hair. " _Only_ them, however."

Giving another nod, Danny remained where he was, his arms wrapped tightly around Clockwork's waist. "Thanks."


	22. Be Gone, Shadowbitch

**Kas - Ding dong, the bitch is dead, the wicked bitch is dead!**

 **Kit - Way to give spoilers. Also, this calls for the patened BITCH-B-GONE!**

* * *

"What did the children say?"

"I spoke to five children today," Randy sighed, looking exhausted as he curled up in an armchair, none of his usual manic energy present. "All of them have had the _pleasure_ to meet Spectra, and all of them told me that they were drained and could barely move for _weeks_ after it. Josh even told me that Annie near faded, and Lizzie, one of the other kids, says one of the kids she knew disappeared one day. _After_ Spectra was in the area."

Danny nodded as he settled down in Andrew's lap. "If we do this... Would you two..." He looked up to Randy, one hand clinging to Andrew's coat as his gaze fell back down to his lap.

"You needn't even ask, mon cher," Andrew smiled tiredly, pressing a soft kiss to Danny's cheek. "As if Randy would let you do this on your own, anyways-"

"Hey!" At the look, Randy huffed and sunk down in his seat. "Okay, you have a point, but _still_. And of course we would, Danny. We'll always follow you, whether we know the details or are against it...we'd still follow after you." Danny had their loyalty in a way the Sect never had...and the loyalty of two assassins could be a very dangerous thing.

Danny gave a smile at that as he looked to finally relax, his eyes starting to droop. His tail curled up as he slumped against Andrew. "Two days. That's how long I'll wait before we go after her."

While Andrew nodded, Randy gave a small tilt of his head. "As you wish." As soon as Danny was asleep, Randy was quietly looking to Andrew. "Do you remember that box I left in Vidya, around the time you formed? It was the third or fourth time I visited."

Andrew rose an eyebrow, giving a slow nod as the box slowly came out from in the hall to land in front of them on the floor. "Thank you, Vidya. And yes, I do, but..." Randy only flicked his hand at the box to teleport it to his lap, the man knocking the lid off to reveal two black guns, a dark gleam to them, with bullet clips resting along the side. Golden tassels hung from the ends, the only form of decoration. Staring in absolute shock, Andrew spoke quietly. "You kept them? But... I thought..."

"Getting rid of them...felt too wrong," Randy mumbled, taking one of the guns out and checking it in automatic motions, the gestures smooth and familiar. "I won't kill with the guns I have now. Not with my energy. It feels...too wrong." Too personal. Too much like tearing away a part of himself to kill with that energy. "These, however..." These were guns that were used to seeing death.

"I suppose I can understand." Nuzzling the teen close, Andrew rose from his seat with Danny in his arms. "Come to bed when you're ready. I'll wait for you."

"Don't you always," Randy chuckled, waving Andrew off before he glanced back down to the guns. "So depressing..." White Fang with his wicked black claws... "To leave an Order and then follow a King...what an interesting story, huh, Vidya?" Replacing the guns on his holster belt, as well as adding a pouch for bullet clips, Randy was standing up and stretching before flying after his mates to the bedroom.

And _maybe_ flopping over top of them both instead of gently laying down like a _normal_ person. Arms were wrapping around his waist, holding him closer, in a near instant. Andrew nuzzled at his neck as he tugged and pulled the man's shirt off. Randy only squirmed around a little to help - belt already tossed onto a couch - before he was giving a little purr as he curled up to the man, nuzzling back. Rolling his eyes, the younger helped him get undressed. "You're going to be alright with this, yes? If you'd like, I can-"

"Nope, no, already claimed. No take backs." Randy wiggled out of the rest of his clothes before snatching Andrew and kissing his cheek, nuzzling against the spot a moment later. As well was reaching over to soothingly scratch at Danny's scalp. "I can handle it, Andy, I promise."

"Alright." Andrew nuzzled back, tucking himself under Randy's chin, giving a quiet hum as he pulled Danny closer. "As long as you promise."

::

Two days passed far quicker than Danny would have liked.

The three were at the marketplace, Randy and Andrew having left to track down Spectra. It was almost with complete nonchalance that Randy slid into step next to Danny, tone casual. "Andy has eyes on her. Three hundred feet ahead, edges of the island. She's watching. Bertrand most likely told."

"I'm not surprised. He's very loyal. He's done nothing, that we know of. Leave him be. What other people are nearby?" Danny leaned against him just the slightest bit, following his directions.

"Occasional glances, no one that has any claim to the situation, no one lingering. I spotted Bertrand when we first arrived, but now I can't find a trace of him. Judging by Spectra's movements, he's not anywhere near the area, either. Most likely he left, not wanting to stick around for what happens." Randy's tone remained casual and easygoing, but his gaze was completely serious, utterly trained on Danny, as if waiting for his orders.

The teen gave a nod as Spectra came into sight. "You can make your shields, and all inside them, invisible, yes?"

"Not for long, right now, but I can give us twenty minutes max." White energy was already swirling around Randy, glazing over his eyes and the same bright color as the clothes he was wearing. "At your command."

"Spectra." Danny walked up to her, giving a small, almost imperceptible nod. A flash and the shield was around them, completely clear and invisible so not even Spectra knew it was there.

"Ah, Danny! I knew you couldn't be too far behind if your pets were here. You let them roam kind of far from you, huh?" Spectra was looking _far_ too amused, and sounded as if she was greeting an old friend, more than anything.

"They are their own people, with their own free will." He stared at her, his shoulders squared back.

"Oo, _someone_ is in hero mode today, then." A glance showed that Andrew had already appeared behind her, Danny and Randy in front of her. "Rather dramatic, don't ya think? Far as I know, I haven't done anything lately to earn _this_ amount of aggression."

"You have broken multiple ancient laws," Danny answered simply, his face neutral and blank. Andrew rose an eyebrow to Randy at that. Didn't she only break the one? Granted, it was multiple times...

"Now, now, dearie, I bend rules. I don't break _laws_. Even _I'm_ not _that_ bad, after all." Randy only gave a small flick of his eyes. He didn't know, either.

"You attacked children of the Spirit World, and caused two ghosts to fade." He narrowed his eyes at her. Try getting out of that one, bitch.

"...What?" Spectra looked honestly started and confused at that, sunglasses taken off her face as she stared seriously at Danny. "I can admit I'm a pretty bad girl, kid, but not even I would kill _children_."

"Tristan McGraw and Elena Clements," he said quietly. "One of the children said after an encounter with you, she didn't see her friend again. Not to mention the fact you nearly caused another five year old to fade."

There was a long minute of silence between them all, Spectra finally giving a little smirk. "And? You're here to do something about it? I admit lying about it was a bit too far even for me, but, really...getting 'revenge' on me is just as far out of reach for you, little hero."

"That's where you're wrong, young shade," Danny said with a smirk. "I have time on my side." The smirk fell, and he was glaring. "The punishment should fit the crime."

"Ooh, the wannabe King is going to kill me, then? The only thing I did was refill my energy. The same thing I do to near everyone I meet. If they happened to not make it through it...well, rotten luck on their part, but nothing I intentionally caused."

"I was told by a _very_ reliable source that you didn't need that energy to survive. Not from the two that faded. What you had done wasn't survival. It was torture. And it's going to end." He glanced to Randy for a small moment.

Spectra only laughed, giving a vague gesture to the bustling marketplace behind them. "You're going to _murder_ me, in front of all these people? You're not truly King, dearie, you're not even a full _ghost_. This isn't execution or punishment, it's just you getting too big of an ego!"

"These people do not know we're here." He took a breath, repeating Clockwork's words. "Three beings have the power to decide if a ghost truly deserves death. The Observants, when a King is not in rule, Walker, when a ghost is in his custody for breaking laws, and the King himself. Crowned, or not."

"...And you truly believe I deserve death, then?"

Danny barely faltered before giving a nod. "Yes." With that, there was a single gunshot that rang out, Spectra gone before her body even hit the ground. With a sigh, Danny fell back against Randy, his eyes a swirl of blue and green. "Can we go home, now?"

A flash and the three were gone from the marketplace, not a single piece of evidence remaining that they had been there to begin with.

::

Danny slumped onto the couch, looking miserable. "How long until someone realizes what happened?"

"Optimistically? A few months. Spectra was never very popular, and the only one who will know right off is Bertrand. And even then he wouldn't want this spreading as gossip." Andrew collapsed onto the couch next to Danny, watching Randy curl up on the other end, looking to be quietly thinking about something.

"Yeah, I guess," the teen huffed, settling down a bit against Andrew. "...I did the right thing, though."

"I certainly like to think so, yes." Andrew ran a hand through the teen's hair comfortingly, a glance at Randy showing the man had flopped over on the couch and was curled up into a small ball near Danny's side. Danny almost absently started scratching at Randy's back, like one would with a beloved pet. A little shift and Randy was curled up in Danny's lap, nuzzling at his stomach and giving a dull, quiet purr in content.

Giving the man a smile, Danny sighed. "What do you think, Randy?" He gave the man's collar a tiny tug.

" _I_ think that you made a decision that needed to be made, and that while it was a tough one, personally, you made the right choice. Whether everyone will agree, or not...as long as you think you've done right, that's all that really matters." Randy seemed a tad dazed as he stretched out a bit over Danny's lap, settling down and not moving an inch. "I also think that being petted is the best thing ever."

"Pet," Andrew corrected absent mindedly. Surprisingly enough, there was a small hitch in the purring that made it a touch louder.

"Pettedededed." Danny rose an eyebrow as Andrew only groaned in pain. He scratched Randy's lower back, giving him a small nudge.

"Are you alright?"

"Hm? Mhm." Randy was a limp pile of happy ghost on top of Danny, giving rumbling purrs as he relaxed. "So nice~"

Giving a smile, Danny whispered to Andrew. "Isn't he adorable?"

" _Quite_ adorable," Andrew chuckled just as quietly, leaning against Danny as he scratched at Randy's head. There was a bit louder of a purr, Randy looking like he wasn't going to be moving anytime soon.

"I love you two," the teen said a bit louder. "So much." Andrew smiled, giving Danny a sweet kiss before nuzzling their cheeks together.

"We love you as well, mon cher." Randy hummed his agreement, nuzzling at the two and curling around them.

Danny looked amused by something, shaking his head. "And you call _me_ weird." Andrew had never used to be this affectionate.

"Oh, hush, you," Andrew mock huffed, dragging Danny into a hug and nuzzling against him. "You _are_ strange, we just have the luck of being as strange as you."

"Yeah, I guess. Good or bad luck?" Danny nuzzled back, one hand still scratching Randy's back and keeping away from the shoulder blades. Just in case.

"'S a tossup," Randy managed to get out, old British accent thick in his voice as purrs rumbled out of him. "Yer definitely a good thing, though."

"Mmkay." He was perfectly fine with that.

"Sooo niiiiice~"


	23. Great Scott!

**Kit - I love the chapter titles.**

 **Kas - I've never even _seen_ back to the future.**

 **Kit - Seriously, though, dudes, this stuff is _heavy_.**

 **Kas - Hella.**

* * *

"Randy, pet, what's wrong?"

Randy, who was curled up on the couch and looked to have been in slight pain, blinked up at Danny with startlement. It was a moment before he was smiling softly, tilting his head. "Just a bit of a headache, love. I'll be okay." Really, he should _not_ adore that nickname as much as he did, considering...well, everything.

"Mmkay." Danny leaned down to nuzzle against his cheek, and gently scratch his scalp. "Do you want anything? Something to drink?" It took a few moments for Randy to work out an answer through his purring, the older leaning into the touches with delight.

"Hm? No, no, I'm fine, I'm fine. Although if you want to stay and cuddle me for a bit, I would not be against such an act."

"I'm alright with that," the teen hummed as he pulled Randy into a sweet kiss, hand still tangling in his hair. Randy happily returned the kiss, twisting them around to where Danny was tucked under his chin and laying on the couch, the older curled around him. And, alright, he _might_ have been pressing dozens of fluttering little kisses to the teen's face. Hardly his fault he adored spoiling Danny. Danny gave a quiet purr at the attention as he nuzzled against Randy, looking all too satisfied. "My cute little wolf."

"That's certainly the quickest way to get his affection," Andrew snorted as he walked through the room, stopping by the couch. Randy was only purring louder, nuzzling against Danny and _covering_ him in kisses. "He's weak to nicknames, especially wolf related ones."

"I'll be sure to keep that in mind." As if he wasn't already. Danny was only blinking at Andrew with a smile, his tail swaying happily, near wagging.

"I'm sure you will," Andrew hummed, tilting Danny's head up to press a soft kiss to his forehead. "Your innocence fools no one, my dear." Really. It was too easy to see how much Danny enjoyed near _torturing_ Randy, the poor thing.

"But what if I'm not faking?" His eyes closed at Andrew's touch and hummed happily, turning to kiss Randy's cheek with a few quiet words of adoration.

"Mhm. And how are you feeling, mon chevalier?" Randy's eyes were suddenly snapping open, iris' completely white as he shuddered and looked near _terrified_ , the man bubbling all three of them and curling up to Danny panickedly and no, no, no, nono _nonononono not yet not yet it wasn't supposed to happen yet he was supposed to have so much longer not yet not-_

Danny's brow furrowed with worry and confusion before he was pulling on Randy's shirt. "Randy? Randy, what's going on?" Andrew was tilting the man's head up and worriedly studying him over, quietly asking Vidya if she could hear him. A few panicked hums and he was frowning, glancing up at the ceiling.

"Time... What-" No. There was no way Randy could get _time visions_. Yet...Vidya insisted the energy was the same as one of the few times Danny had gotten one.

"'S breakin'." Randy was shaking heavily, voice quiet, as if afraid of being overheard. He was also curled up to Danny tightly, eyes still wide. "The Sarcophagus is _breaking_." Cracks, cracks, cracks, everywhere he looked _it was nothing but cracks and the energy was seeping out and corrupting all it touched and it wouldn't be long not long at all and it was_ _ **breaking**_ _._

"Woah, woah!" Danny put his hands on Randy's shoulders, leaning their foreheads together as his tail curled around the man's waist. "Randy, hey. I need you to calm down, alright? It's me, it's just me and Andy. I want you to tell us what you're seeing." And preferably _why_.

A long moment of silence, Randy's gaze locking onto Danny's before he was giving a slow, stilted nod. "I can...see it breaking... Pariah's Sarcophagus. It's cracking and breaking and-" A deep breath, Randy forcibly calming himself down as he shook. "The Spirit World needs a King."

Danny only nodded along. "That's it, Randy, that's it. Just keep breathing." It was a struggle to do as told, Randy looking like he was trying to say something important but unable to find the words.

"The- Mon roi, the Spirit World _needs_ a King- The balance- The balance is off and now there's two in line for rule- One of them must be crowned and our world _needs_ it's King-" Randy cut himself off, looking to be struggling for words again.

"I know, I know, it's going to be alright, Randy, just keep breathing." The teen looked to Andrew, a silent look of 'keep it up' before a dim blue aura surrounded the teen. For once, Andrew didn't bother to argue about the teen's hero-complex. Danny was a timekeeper, whether he had his full powers or not. And the average ghost...could not see time. Not without losing what sanity they had.

"It's alright, mon chevalier, it's alright." Andrew tilted Randy's head up, soothingly rubbing small circles behind his ears, nodding at seeing the man slowly relax a small amount. "Those worries are for another time, darling." Danny gave a silent nod along- _God_ he hated having his mind in two separate places. He only remained as he was, the blue aura wrapping around Randy as well.

It was a long few moments before Randy's eyes were slowly changing back to their dark blue color, the man looking dazed and out of it before he was slumping against Danny, the shield around them disappearing in an instant. Andrew, more than slightly worried, checked the man over before giving a small sigh. It looked like he had merely fallen asleep. "I have a feeling nothing that just happened is a good thing." Danny didn't respond, his bright blue eyes flicking around, trying to take in everything he was seeing but it was all going so fast and these weren't like his time visions this would be in the near future he thought he had a couple years but this will cause it all to-

"Danny." Andrew was setting his hands on the teen's cheek and tilting his head so he could look him in the eyes, a reassuring smile on his face. "Come on, mon cher, there's enough worries for you in the present. Can you focus on my voice, for me?" Danny stared at Andrew for a long moment before the aura around him dimmed to his usual white, and his eyes were back to their ghostly green.

There was a long silence between the two before Danny was nervously chuckling. "Heh. I can control them a lot better, now." Andrew's response was a heavy, slightly dramatic sigh, the man resting his forehead against Danny's.

"That's a good thing, I suppose..." A glance down to Randy, who hadn't even _stirred_ , yet. "Although why Randy would get a time vision... I suppose if your powers are still untapped, and a powerful enough vision came, it would go to one of us... Perhaps Randy because he's the oldest in ghost years?" An irritated sigh. "I hate not knowing things for certain."

"He's known the Spirit World most, he has the most years. Of course it makes sense." Danny leaned against Andrew, sounding _exhausted_. "...Less than a year."

There were a long few moments of silence, Andrew finally sitting down on the couch next to them and hugging Danny tightly. "Is it wrong of me to say I'm not very surprised? It's a curse. None of us can make it through college." Humor. Hiding behind humor could help.

"Yeah, I guess so. I hope you know I'm still gonna go." If Andrew wanted to play that game, he would happily play along.

"I figured as much." Andrew tucked Danny closer, sighing quietly. "When Randy wakes up, we _will_ have to eventually talk about this at some length. Maybe not all of it, but...some of it, at least."

"I know, but... We don't have to tell Jazz, right? Or Sam and Tucker?"

"We won't tell anyone unless you want us to," Andrew soothed, rubbing at the teen's back and giving him a gentle, sweet kiss. "As I've said before, we'll keep your secrets for as long as you want us to." Danny nodded, looking comforted by the statement. He would always have Andrew and Randy there, no matter what the future may bring.

No matter what.

::

Where the fuck was Randy.

Andrew trudged into the kitchen, heading for the coffee pot and curling around it, looking like he wouldn't be speaking any time soon. A glance around the kitchen showed that it was devoid of Randy. Andrew seemed to notice, since he was narrowing his eyes. "...He's...not still asleep, is he?"

"Didn't you see him on your way out," Danny said with a frown. He looked to the hallway as he tugged on his scarf before flittering back to the kitchen, and trying to peek out towards the reading room.

"I just woke up. There could be pink elephants here and I wouldn't fucking notice them," Andrew grumbled, still working on his first cup of coffee. "I dunno, maybe he's just sleeping in for once. Not that _that_ ever fucking happens."

"I _know_ , that's why I'm worrying," Danny snapped at him with a glare. "He _never_ sleeps in!"

"Take after your ice core and fucking chill," Andrew snapped back, grumbling to himself as he finished his cup of coffee before snagging Danny's shirt and dragging him to the bedroom. "Fine, we'll check on him." Though the teen pouted, he let himself be dragged along as he did his best to hide a yawn.

A glance in the bedroom made it look like it was empty, but it was only a few moments before they saw Randy was curled up under the blankets on the far side of the bed, breathing even and peaceful. Andrew groaned as he unsteadily flew over, flopping on top of him. "Raaandy. Get up, ya lazy lump." When the man showed no reaction to the weight, not even his usual cuddly behavior, Danny frowned and tugged at his collar.

"Randy. Come on. Time to get up." There wasn't even a hint of a response, Randy's breathing not even hitching a tiny amount. It was the _lack_ of reaction that had Andrew suddenly wide awake, checking Randy over and cursing silently.

"He should have recovered from that vision by now."

"Wha- You think it's that _vision_ causing this?" Danny looked to Andrew in disbelief, shaking his head.

"Well _something's_ causing it," Andrew sighed, trying not to snap at Danny again. Bad mornings aside, this _was_ rather serious. "Mon cher, normal ghosts can't _handle_ seeing time like you and Clockwork can. If they do, they could lose their _sanity_ from it. I don't know if it's the vision that made him like this, but it's the only thing in the last few days that could have a lingering effect."

The teen slumped, dropping to sit on the bed beside Randy. "This was...because of the vision?"

"Not entirely, I think. Randy's far more powerful than even _we_ give him credit for. It's more than just the vision," Andrew sighed, shifting so he was sitting on Randy's other side, worriedly playing with the fabric of his shirt. "...Mon cher...you remember that event where _I_ was unconscious for a long amount of time, oui?"

Danny only clutched tightly to his scarf, looking up to Andrew as he pulled and tugged on it. "You mean..."

"Randy's been insisting he's had low power levels for _years_. Perhaps it's like with you, and his power has been mostly suppressed. Ghost psyches are much stranger than human, especially in our case, where we tried to forget part of who we are. Perhaps...we might need to do what you two did for me." The teen nodded slowly, still toying and fidgeting with his scarf.

"Last time, we... We kinda overshadowed you." And, yes, Andrew remembered Randy talking to him about Danny's powers, and how very _adaptive_ they were.

"I figured as much," Andrew chuckled, tugging on Danny's shirt and giving him a reassuring smile. "We'll fix things. After all, you're _very_ good at taking care of us."

"Yeah. I guess." Although if it weren't for him, Randy would have never _had_ the stupid time vision. He watched Randy's stomach slowly rising, before falling, and repeating the process. The cycle was far too slow for it to ever be human.

He was tugged out of his thoughts by a hand taking his, twining their fingers together. "Shall we, then?" The sooner they got Randy back into sorts, the better. Danny looked up at Andrew, giving a small nod. Another reassuring smile, Andrew pecking the younger on the cheek. "After you, my dear."

With a sigh, the teen nodded and turned the two intangible. They were going to be fine. It was just like last time. Nothing to worry about. It would all be...

Fine.


	24. Inside Out

**Kit - By the way, the title is _that_ movie.**

 **Kas - Because we REALLY love _that_ movie.**

 **Kit - _That_ movie is the best movie.**

* * *

"...What the hell are _you two_ doing in here?" Here seemed to be a darkened space, a room that looked like it was made of stone and filled with scattered objects, here and there, with a couch pressed into the corner.

"Well, that answers who this one is, then." A slightly younger, human version of Randy gave a scoff, looking vaguely annoyed.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm Anger, and you two are hero-complexed brats." A moment of pause, Anger sighing as he helped Andrew and Danny to their feet. "Honestly." Danny was immediately clinging to the man, and nuzzling at his neck, wrapped around him as tightly as he could be. "...Why." Even as he spoke, and sounded more than slightly confused, Anger returned the hug anyways. And maybe lightly scratched at Danny's scalp.

"Well," Andrew replied, looking a bit amused. "That would be because you had a time vision yesterday and have been unconscious since then."

"...Fuckin' hell this is gonna be like the bullshit with your emotions, isn't it?" Anger tsked, trying not to smile as he looked as dramatic as possible. "Why not, I guess! Cliches are ripe with us, after all!"

The youngest hummed happily, his tail slipping under the man's shirt and gently rubbing at his lower back. Andrew rolled his eyes, looking amused. "Mhm. As you so do love to keep reminding me."

"Because you need reminding," Anger huffed out, squirming a little in Danny's grip. "You. You are- Quit that." The tone held no real anger, even considering who was speaking, the emotion looking more flustered than anything. Danny only purred, and nuzzled against him a bit more.

"No, I don't believe I do, seeing how often I _write_." Anger tsked again at Andrew's words from where he was halfheartedly trying to pry Danny off of him.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I guess this will be like your emotion trip, or whatever, but I have no freakin' clue what's going on. There's some door over there, though, so I guess that's where you go- You are cuddly as hell, jesus." Anger had given up prying Danny off, instead supporting him and hugging him back.

"Love you," the tiny halfa hummed, looking content. Andrew scratched at Danny's scalp, leaning against Anger.

"I see. And do you happen to have any advice for our trip?" Anger looked to be startled a moment before he was leaning back against Andrew. Thinking about the question, he gave a slow nod.

"...Be gentle." A hesitant smile. "We're- Randy...he isn't the best off." Tucked under his chin, Danny was giving a loud snort of laughter. "Do I even want to _ask_ why you're laughing? Or is this one of those things I'm better off not knowing?"

"Remember, mon chevalier. He _is_ still fresh out of high school," Andrew said, quietly snickering himself.

"And you have college humor," Anger huffed out, finally prying Danny off of him and dropping him - very gently and carefully - into Andrew's arms. "You both are a wreck- See, this is why I always worried after you two for so long. This is why I _still_ worry."

"Yes, yes." Andrew hummed as he nuzzled Danny before standing on his toes and kissing Anger's cheek. "Take care of yourself, mon chevalier."

"Mm," Anger hummed, returning the kiss with one to Andrew's lips, actions sweet and gentle. "If I fail, though, I have you two to help me." Andrew gave a smile, nipping at his bottom lip before turning to leave.

"Bye, darling." Anger, who was blushing, only gave a little huff as he swatted at the air in their direction.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah."

The moment they were through the door, they were being fretted over. "Andrew! Danny! What are you two doing here? Are you okay? You're not hurt, right?"

Danny clung to the Randy, giving a grin. "Mine." The emotion held him tightly, still fretting and worrying over him, tsking as he looked to Andrew.

"What's happening? You two shouldn't be here! It can be dangerous!" It took a moment for the two to notice the room looked like a glass-encased garden, sun shining down in patterns all around. Sketchbooks and art supplies, as well, were scattered across the ground. There was also a gray scarf over a low hanging branch of a tree, and a purple coat hanging next to it. "Wwwhhhyyy. I probably would have woken up eventually on my own! Maybe..."

"Well, our apologies for worrying, darling." Andrew ran a hand through the emotion's hair, calming him as best as possible. "Besides, it's no less dangerous than you two romping around my own mind."

"I guess..." A heavy sigh, the human version of Randy - with thick brown curly hair and thick-rimmed glasses - leaning into the touch. "I'm Joy, by the way. Happy to see you, and all that." A nudge to Danny. "See? Puns. I got 'em, too." Danny only gave a vague hand waggle as he looked up to Joy.

"Eehhh...hh... Eh?" Joy pouted, huffing as he tucked Danny under his chin. Although the smile on his face was easy to see.

"You're very rude- Ah, so, um, what exactly happened to cause this, anyways? Last I - or, uh, we - remember, there was...that time vision, maybe?" The emotion was looking to Andrew curiously, Danny tucked close to him.

Andrew gave a nod, kissing Joy's cheek with a happy hum. "That's about the last thing you _would_ remember. You passed out immediately after."

"Well, that seems like something I should be slightly embarrassed over," Joy noted, looking more amused than anything. And maybe spoiling Danny with hugs and kisses. "So I guess you guys are trying to wake me up like we did- But that doesn't explain _why_ I'm passed out! I mean, yeah, I can see fainting, but not...emotion mess."

"Well, my theory was that it happened because you're...a fairly average ghost, relatively speaking. Danny having a time vision? A small amount of pain, and it's nothing. One of us, though? If a ghost without time powers has a time vision, it could break their sanity. This could be your mind's way of trying to deal with it."

"Oo, I suppose so," Joy nodded, going to sit by the pond and nudging and tugging Andrew along with him. "It could also be where I tried to lock away White Fang, like you did with the Priest. Ghosts aren't exactly _stable_ , so..." A shrug. "It's probably a lot of factors combined into one."

"That makes the most sense." Andrew sat down beside them, teasing him, "I knew you liked the gardens."

"Well of course I do," Joy blinked, giving a beaming smile. "Every time we're here, I get to spend peaceful time with you two, and know you're both safe and happy. Why wouldn't I love the gardens?" Leaning against him, Andrew kissed at Joy's cheek before laying his head on the emotion's shoulder.

"I suppose so." His hand entwined with Joy's free one, looking content. Joy gave a quiet little purr, utterly relaxed between his two mates as he settled down.

"So, ah, I'm not sure how many emotions are in here...probably somewhere around how many you had." Danny, having finally gotten over _how absolutely adorable this Randy looked_ , had snagged one of the sketchbooks and was flipping through it with a quiet hum.

"I like these." Joy blinked down at Danny before giggling, cuddling the teen close and pressing kisses all over his cheeks.

"I'm glad you like them! A lot of what I draw, nowadays, is inspired by you two." Flipping the page, Danny rose an eyebrow.

"I can tell." Seeing the page, Joy was quietly trying to close the sketchbook before Andrew could look over. And maybe blushing a bit. Andrew glanced over, giving a hum.

"You know, you could still do with a little work on your anatomy. You should see some of Danny's." Joy blushed and snatched the sketchbook before swatting Andrew's arm with it.

"You're _terrible_." His tone was more embarrassed, than anything. "Aren't you two supposed to be going on to the next emotion, or something?"

"We wanted to stay with you a little bit more," the teen hummed, nuzzling against Joy. There was hardly even a moment before Joy was sighing and nuzzling back, cuddling the teen close.

"Fine, fine. It's not like I can ever say no to you two." Besides, this gave him the chance to cover Danny with more kisses. As well as maybe moving to completely sit in Andrew's lap.

Andrew only rubbed at his shoulder blade, tucking the man under his chin. Danny looked happy, melting in the other's lap and slumping further against him. "I suppose you don't know which one's the next one, then?"

Instead of a verbal answer the reply was loud purring, Joy completely leaning against Andrew and nuzzling under his chin, leaning into the touch as much as possible. "'S- 'S Fe- Oo, that's so nice~" Andrew switched the rubbing to light scratching, giving him a small nudge.

"What was that, darling?" A quiet moment, Joy seeming to blink before he gave a nod.

"I _think_ Fear might be next. I can sense the other emotions in here, but it's a little...murky." Pausing, the emotion stole a quick kiss from Andrew, looking pleased with himself. "I'm sure you two will be okay, though."

"Well, it's better than last time." Andrew nudged him again, looking down to Danny. Joy hummed, glancing to Danny and easing up on when he had been _spoiling_ him. Andrew shifted them so that Danny was in his own lap, and he was standing to carry the teen. "Well, I hope you have fun with your pond."

"I'll be sure to," Joy stuck his tongue out, pouting a little at seeing them start to leave. "I'll have a _funner_ time since you two are leaving."

"...We're leaving, now."

"Mhm, have fun, cheri," Joy chuckle, flopping down onto the grass and rolling around so he was stretched out under a sunbeam. "See you soon~"

" _Honestly_."


	25. Loyalty of a Wolf

**Kit - So that chapter title? Yeah, keep an eye out for a story titled that in the future.**

 **Kas - Eeeeee.**

* * *

Andrew hardly managed to step through the door before a ghostly Randy was hiding behind him, scrunched down and looking more than slightly terrified. "Wha- What are you two doing here?! It's not safe! You could get hurt! Aren't you _scared_?!"

"No, not really," Danny hummed, stretching out in Andrew's arms a bit before curling up against him. "How are you?" The emotion only clung to him, near using him as a _shield_. And maybe sniffing pathetically.

" _Terrified_. I don't know what's going on! Everything just went dark and wrong and I'm not waking up and what if I _never_ wake up what if I'm just _stuck_ here and now you two here and now what if _you're stuck with me_?!"

"Hey, Randy?" Danny slid down until he was standing in front of him, gently taking hold of his hands. "We woke Andy up, right?" The ghost gave a small, tiny nod, holding the other's hands tightly. "So that means we're gonna wake you up. Besides. Being here with you, forever? That sounds pretty great."

"...That was rude, and, yeah...yeah...you two are gonna wake me up." A nod, the emotion kissing Danny's forehead gently. "I'm Fear, by the way."

"We know. Joy told us." Danny kissed at his cheek, leaving sweet fluttering kisses over his face. Fear slowly seemed to calm at the attention, uncurling a bit. Andrew took the moment to glance around the room, seeing it was...their dorm from the Sanctum... " _Speaking_ _of_ , do you know _how_ you can tell what emotions are here?" Danny was still curling against Fear and showering him with attention.

"I...don't know, really," Fear mumbled, more and more relaxed at the attention. "I can just...feel the others. There's...seven of us. Definitely seven." A small shrug. "I dunno, I just...feel them. It's like when I can feel when you guys are upset, or afraid, or feeling bad off. It's just...a feeling."

"...What do you mean you can _feel_ when we're feeling bad?" Danny glanced to Andrew. He'd pass it off as a mate thing, but...he couldn't feel them like that. Andrew gave a small shake of his head. This was _certainly_ new information for him.

"It's more like...a guess, almost." Fear was leaning into the touches and gently and hesitantly nuzzling against Danny, still curled up to where he was between the two. "Like when you're scared from a nightmare during the night, and I wake up and talk to you about it? It's not that I... I mean, I can _kind of_ feel it, just...not much."

"I guess that kinda makes sense," Danny hummed, rubbing into the base of his spine. "You always were better with that kind of thing." Fear gave a quiet little purr, relaxed _much_ more than when they had entered the room.

"You guys are okay, though, right? You...haven't met any really _bad_ emotions, right? Like... _really_ bad emotions." Because there was one...he was kind of wary about them meeting.

"Yeah," the teen nodded, tucking Fear under his chin. The emotion seemed startled before giving another quiet purr, settling down more. And maybe clinging to Andrew's shirt, because, yes, both mates close. Very good. "Hey, are you gonna be alright if we go to the next one?" Danny cupped Fear's cheeks, looking completely serious.

"...Yeah. I'll be fine." Fear gave a soft smile, clutching Danny's hands with his own and pecking the teen on the forehead. "I'll be fine because I know you two will always be here for me, and when you're here...I don't need to be afraid." Danny gave a peck to his lips before turning to Andrew and holding his arms out to him like a small child.

Andrew snorted but picked Danny up, tucking him under his chin before he was gently kissing Fear himself and cupping his cheek with a palm. "You sure you'll be alright, darling?" A meaningful glance, because this room...didn't hold the best of memories.

Fear only gave a nod, kissing the palm of the hand and giving another gentle smile. "I promise I will be. And I don't break promises to you, yeah?"

"Well," Andrew began with a playful smile. Fear laughed, the room seeming a little...lighter.

"Very funny." A pause, a tilt of the head, and then a wider smile. "I think you'll like the next emotion, from what I can tell."

"Who's that?" Danny tilted his head at him, smiling back himself.

"You'll find out," Fear teased, pecking Danny on the tip of the nose before smiling a little wider. "Love you. Very much."

"Love you, too." Danny leaned against Andrew, giving a quiet yawn. Andrew rolled his eyes but nudged the door open, walking in before quietly closing it behind him. Once again he was tackled by a Randy, one who was gently scooping Danny up and stealing him away to cuddle on a couch.

"I'm keeping him for forever because he's perfect and pretty and ours." The emotion was human, looking to be sixteen or so, near _beaming_ as he cuddled Danny and showered him with kisses and sweet touches.

Danny purred at the attention, his tail flicking and curling as he nuzzled against the younger Randy. Andrew rose an eyebrow, running a hand through the emotion's hair. "So, if we're seeing _Love_ now, then something truly _awful_ must be ahead."

"How rude- You didn't even let me tell you which one I was!" Love pouted, the expression hardly on his face a moment before he was jerking Andrew down in a smooth motion and sitting on his lap. And maybe giving him a sweet, lingering kiss. "You're too clever for your own good, mon petit chat noir."

Andrew laughed, leaning into the kiss. "Are you sure it's _me_ you should be calling the kitten, mon chevalier?"

"Mm...you have a point," Love admitted, looking down to Danny before scratching at his tail. " _He_ is much more of a kitten than you. You're more of a moody cat." Another kiss pressed to the other's lips.

"You're not wrong," Andrew said as he pressed back. Underneath them, Danny was purring happily and stretching out as much as he could before curling up a bit, his stomach up. The sight startled a laugh out of Andrew as he tried to hide his grin. Love, looking down at Danny, gave a snort of laughter of his own as he poked at Danny's stomach. Danny squeaked, curling up his his tail to his chest as he stared at them owlishly.

"Aww, my adorable little kitten," Love cooed, pulling the teen more into his arms and snuggling against him in delight. And maybe rubbing circles into his tail because _so cute_. While Danny was melting into a puddle of purring happy halfa, Andrew was giving a laugh because _yes. The horrible nickname had passed on._ "Yes, yes, you're _so_ amused."

Love snagged Andrew into another kiss, pressing closely and seeming quite delighted. Andrew hummed happily, leaning just as close and keeping the kiss sweet and innocent. Something Love was quite happy with, parting to press a peck of a kiss to the tip of Andrew's nose. "Love you." A grin. "Get it, cause. Cause yeah."

"I 'get it,' darling." Andrew rubbed the tip of Danny's tail lightly between his fingers, giving a smile. The teen shuddered before going near still, purrs still rumbling out of him.

"You're far too cruel to him," Love laughed, settling down with the two. "Can you stay with me for a little longer? Just a bit?"

"I'm sure we can spare just a _little_ bit of time." Andrew leaned against him, kissing his cheek. Love gave a delighted little hum, nuzzling against the two.

"Perfect."

::

"I _knew_ it."

"Oh? And what did you know?" A ghostly version of Randy was grinning from where he had given a short bow to the two. He was dressed completely in white, black guns holstered at his waist. "Should I go with Your Majesty and Your Highness, yet, or is it a bit too soon?"

"...Your what."

Danny rolled his eyes before floating up to him and tugging him back up. "It's never changed, for you."

"The point remains, however," the emotion chuckled, kissing the back of Danny's hand with a smile. "I am Loyalty, and it is quite nice to meet you two face to face."

"Are you _sure_ that's your name," Danny said with a raised eyebrow, giving Loyalty a small bow, himself.

"No, why don't we rewind it, a bit?" Andrew still looked lost while Loyalty gave a small laugh, covering his mouth a bit and making the metal arm braces around his arms much more obvious.

"Were you truly unaware, my love? When Danny is to be crowned King, you will be Prince." A little wink. "You _were_ mated to him first, after all, and in this case, it would follow that, before age."

Danny took a hold of Loyalty's arm, raising an eyebrow at the arm braces. "Silver. I'm surprised. I thought you would have gone for white gold.

"Gold is more malleable, silver is far less dangerous if I were to face an opponent with strong hits," Loyalty explained. "Plus, silver is far more suiting to me than gold."

"True, but you do also always try to aim for the shiniest." Danny gave a hum, giving another bow with a smirk. "My apologies. I didn't greet you properly, White Knight."

"Now, now, that's supposed to be a secret," Loyalty purred, lifting Danny's chin up and pecking a kiss on his forehead. "Don't go giving away the endings, even if that's something you timekeepers so enjoy."

"...White what."

"Now look what you've done. You've gone and broken our mate," Loyalty tsked, near _sauntering_ over to Andrew before he was kissing the man's cheek. "There, there, dear, it's alright. No need to understand it all quite yet. Although I'll be happy to explain once this whole situation is dealt with."

Danny hummed, tilting his head to the side. "Aww, but he's adorable when he's broken!" Danny cupped Andrew's cheek, nuzzling against him. "Tiny cutie."

"Show a little mercy, at least," Loyalty tsked, batting at Danny's head with amusement. "You two still have a few emotions to go through, after all."

"Not many. You're the fifth. That only means two more." Danny grinned as he nuzzled at Loyalty, a bit more than clingy- Okay, to be fair... He didn't have a good excuse. Loyalty only laughed, cuddling the teen close and kissing at his neck.

" _Still_ , I believe you two are getting worn down enough without you helping break our dear mate."

"To be fair, I think he has been having _far_ more fun during this than I have." Danny leaned into the kisses, pressing a small one to Loyalty's ear.

"That, my sweet, does not surprise me." Loyalty nuzzled at Danny's neck, pressing another kiss there before nudging Andrew with a little hip bump. "You alright there, Andy?"

"Fine, fine, I...huh?"

"I'll explain when I wake up," Loyalty chuckled, kissing Andrew lightly before handing Danny off to him and nudging him along. "Come on, then, two left."

Danny whined, looking upset. "But I was just starting to have fun!"

"I bet you were, but you are on a bit of a job, here." Loyalty gave the teen a deep, lingering kiss, hand brushing against his cheek. "We'll be sure to have plenty of fun later, however, after all..." A smirk, and a quiet murmur against the lips. "It's the Knight's job to take care of his King, hm?"

With a quiet hum, Danny watched him. "Is that a promise?" Barely a moment of pause and a near _wicked_ smirk was on the older's face.

"Of course. And you know I _never_ break my promises to you two. Especially not ones as important as these."

"Perfect."


	26. Jack London

**Kit - In defense, I voted for 'Who Let The Dogs Out' for the chapter title and got shot down. Viciously.**

 **Kas - I saved you all from a horrible fate.**

 **Kit - Boooo.**

* * *

"Oh, yo. Was wonderin' when you two would start coming through." A completely normal Randy poked his head out from the back of the couch before flying over to Andrew and Danny, looking a bit amused. "Having fun?"

"We lingered, here and there." Danny clung to Andrew's arm as he tried to not cling to the emotion because _finally a normal one_.

"That doesn't surprise me a bit," the emotion snorted, hovering around them in a little circle. He paused at seeing Danny's expression, the Randy holding his arms out to him. "Ya know, I am totally not against hugs if you wanna give 'em out."

" _Mine_." Danny launched at him in a hug, nuzzling at his stomach with a sigh.

Andrew now examined the emotion, quietly humming to himself. "And you would be?"

"You know, I _would_ tell you, but wouldn't it be much more fun to try and guess?" The emotion twisted around to float on his back, keeping Danny safely settled on top of him. "Although if you really want me to tell you, I _might_ take pity. I know how you two are in the mornings, which I think it _technically_ is. I dunno, things are a little bit murky in here."

"Randy, please, we'd just like to wake you up," Andrew sighed, leaning against the wall and looking exhausted. That one cup of coffee had been nowhere near enough, and who knew if Danny had any.

"Wow, you really _have_ been through it, today." The emotion was flipping around and flying over to gently pull Andrew to the couch - the room looked like an exact replica of one of Vidya's sitting rooms - settling the three of them down on it. "Did you two even _have_ coffee, this morning?"

"I know _I_ did," Andrew defended as he looked to Danny. The teen was in the middle of another yawn.

"I had some, yeah." The oldest chuckled, running a hand through Danny's hair and kissing his cheek.

"Don't worry, petit mec, we'll get you some more coffee when this is all over, yeah?" Settling back, he propped his legs up in Andrew's lap, seeming quite content. "I'm Obsession, by the way.

"...Not what I was expecting," Andrew hummed, looking used to the position. Enough so that he nearly reached out for his laptop.

"Yeaaah. Probably not," Obsession snorted, leaning back against the couch and nudging Danny to curl up on his stomach. Nodding, he ran a hand down the teen's back, offering a smile. "You two look like hell, by the way. I mean, you always do, since you're hot as hell, but now you're just more of a mess."

"I'm a cutie," Danny argued weakly, not putting up much of a fight.

Andrew chuckled, looking amused. "Love already completely spoiled him, for the day."

"Oh, good. I mean, just as long as he's being utterly and completely spoiled, then everything else will work out fine." A familiar smirk, this emotion acting more like _their_ Randy than any other, even dressed in near the same manner.

"I'm sure you'd think that," Andrew hummed, scratching at Obsession's scalp. "Would you like to tell us who's next? Or is that a surprise?" Obsession gave a hum that bordered on a purr as he leaned into the touch, sighing happily.

"I think I'll leave _that_ one as a surprise. He's the last one, though. Sort that one out and we wake up, and all that." A bit of a nudge to the hand and that felt sooo nice. "I'll answer any other questions you have, though."

"I noticed you have quite a few positive emotions." Andrew shifted until he was tucked under the emotion's arm, and pressing against his chest.

"That's not a question," Obsession pointed out, shifting a bit so both mates were tucked close, still rubbing Danny's back as he kissed Andrew's cheek. "That would probably be because of you two, though. It was...a lot darker, before."

"Like a snow cloud," Danny mumbled from where he was relaxed under the touch.

"...Yeah. Cause...okay." Obsession gave Danny a slightly odd look. "You're something, you know that?"

Andrew smiled, taking one of Danny's hands in his own. "No, it's...perfect. Think about it poetically."

"I leave the poetry to you, cheri," Obsession rolled his eyes, curling more against the two, anyways. "You usually are responsible with it. Except, you know, that time you took over a kid's life because he destroyed a book you wrote on a _typewriter_."

"Did I do that? Huh. I don't seem to recall." The man gave a shrug, rubbing his cheek against Obsession's chest.

"Yeah, I bet you don't." A small snort of laughter, Obsession seeming rather amused by the two cuddly mates he now had on his hands. "Jeez, what happened? Did the others spoil you guys _that_ much? I mean, really, now." It was around then it started to sink in for Danny that the room...didn't much show Obsession's _obsession_. With Andrew, the room had been coated in books from top to bottom. Here...it was...average. Like another day.

"Hey... What _is_ your obsession?" Danny was looking up at him curiously, nothing but a glimmer of innocence in his eyes.

"What? You haven't figured it out, by now?" Obsession seemed amused, more than anything, leaning over to peck Danny on the forehead. "It's you two, of course. Really, it kind of makes sense and puts thing into perspective, when you think about it."

"...You can have people as your obsession?" Tilting his head, Danny watched the two ghosts. How strange...

"Yeah, but I don't think it's common," the emotion shrugged, settling back down with the two. "Took a while for me to figure mine out, though, until it all kinda clicked one day." Danny hummed as he settled down a bit more. Andrew only gave a quiet sigh, looking at ease.

"We should probably go."

"Yeah, probably...but you _have_ said you've been lingering, here and there. Surely it couldn't hurt to linger just a _bit_ longer. Besides, would you really make Danny move now? When he's so comfortable?" Obsession cuddled Danny close, cooing over how cute he was.

"I did it before, I can do it again." He bent down and sweetly kissed Danny, "Though maybe we can stay a little while." Obsession grinned, kissing Andrew's cheek.

"Now, was that so hard?"

"Incredibly so."

::

When Andrew and Danny stepped through the door that led away from Obsession, there had been nothing but...silence. A flash of white streaked by before they saw they were in a rain-soaked city that was coated with the darkness of night, low buildings stretching on for what seemed like an eternity. The silence, however, wasn't _true_ silence. There was...humming. It was a song that was similar to one Danny had heard Andrew- Had heard _the Priest_ sing, but this one was slightly more off. Slightly more _feral_. Slightly more...

White Fang.

"Bonjour, mes amours." Not even a flash and a human teenager was in front of them, eyes _brimming_ with feral bloodlust, and hands resting on the guns at his side. Although Danny noticed the charm he had given Randy for his collar was still attached to the one this version of him wore. "What an honor to have you visit..."

Danny looked him up and down before clinging tightly, near collapsing against him. " _My cute puppy_." White Fang laughed quietly, supporting the teenager as he let him rest against his chest.

" _And a hello to you too, my adorable little kitten_." Shifting the teen in his arms a bit - Danny was near _his_ height at the moment, after all - the emotion looked to Andrew with amusement. "Hello, my dear Priest."

"Bonjour, White Fang. I must admit, it's been a while." Andrew was looking over him, slightly tilting his head. "I see you've been well taken care of."

"You didn't _really_ think he locked me away that well, did you?" White Fang laughed quietly, wicked look of amusement in his eyes. "All those jobs? He may not kill much anymore, but he's _still_ me. Just like you're still the Priest, oui?"

"You're not wrong," he hummed, eyes flicking over him before rolling his eyes at Danny. Leave it to the halfa to not be scared of two assassins. "So, is this enough for the 'mission' to be considered done?"

"Far as I know," White Fang shrugged, shifting once more and tucking Danny closer. Bouncing over to Andrew's side, he heavily leaned against him, nuzzling under his chin. "Remember when I said it took five months for me to form? And that I have more power than most? It seems a lot of it was locked away with _me_ specifically, White Fang. With that time vision, the power was unlocked." A bit of a smirk. "Like yours, I probably would have woken up in a few days. You two just...sped it up a bit."

"...I suppose I'm not completely surprised." Andrew sighed and leaned back against him. "After all, I think a part of me knew you were waiting on me." He looked back down to Danny, who looked near asleep. "You're a handful." He couldn't tell if he was talking about the emotion, or the halfa.

"Yes, but you're used to dealing with that by now," White Fang chuckled, pecking a kiss on Andrew's cheek. "You know how this works, my dear Priest. I follow you, a step behind, as always."

"Although you do have the ability to lead. Why not test that now, my darling wolf?"

"Oh? And how would you like me to test that?"

"Lead us out."

"As you wish, dear Priest."

A sudden flash of power and Andrew and Danny were tumbling out of Randy's mind and back into the real world. Although a flash of white power around them stopped the two before they could hit the ground, Randy having one eye slitted open. "Do I even _want_ to know?"

"It'll come to you in a moment, darling." Andrew hummed as he tugged Danny to the bed, because really. The teen needed more sleep. There was a vague noise from Randy, who looked to be thinking over something carefully before giving a slow nod.

"...Not gonna lie, this makes sense in some bullshit way." Rolling over, and stretching out for a few moments, he was curled back up around Danny, nuzzling gently at his neck. "Aw, you went through a lot over this mess, didn't you, little kitten?" Danny quietly purred, curling back against him. Andrew snorted, looking incredibly amused as he curled around them on Danny's other side.

"You two are certainly something else." Randy only gave a little hum, settling down comfortably and looking quite pleased with everything.

"Oui, oui, je t'aime aussi, mon petit prêtre."


	27. Apple Strussel

**Kit - Vlad swears SO much. He's just very good at not doing it in front of teeny tinies.**

 **Kas - He's not a _total_ villain, after all.**

 **Kit - Nah, he's a dork.**

* * *

"So, how are signing up for classes going?" Randy flopped over onto Danny's lap from where he was on the couch, the man looking up at him curiously.

Danny whined, slumping in his seat and looking back to the papers spread out around himself. "Kill me."

"Ooor...we could take a break for lunch." With that, Randy was scooping Danny up and dragging him away from the pile of papers. "Fear not, kitten, I'll save you from the terrible evils of college sign-up. It was time for lunch, anyways."

"But registration is due in _two days_. I need to have this finished like _now_." He whined even more, being as difficult as he possibly could.

"Alright, alright, we'll help you work on it while we eat lunch." Randy seemed rather used to dealing with squirming, difficult to deal with teenagers. Setting the teen in Andrew's lap, who was working at the table, Randy flashed off to grab all the papers before returning with them. "So, what do you have left to do?"

"Everything. Literally everything." Danny slid down out of Andrew's lap until he was groaning and curled up on the floor. " _Can I die yet_."

"No, no, that's not for a while," Andrew responded, ignoring Randy's pained look as he pulled Danny back up into his lap, arms locking around his waist. "Come on, we'll help you finish up. Did you decide if you were going to get a dorm room, or just teleport between here and there?"

"Andy. People from Casper High are going to this school."

"Well it never hurts to make sure," Andrew huffed, curling around Danny. "Did you decide your major?"

"...Prnmlstds."

"...Was that...a word, or words mashed together because he doesn't want to tell us? I think it was the second, but it's slightly hard to tell." Randy was dangling a cookie in front of Danny, one of Andrew's sugar cookies that he had made earlier. "You get a cookie if you tell us~" Danny narrowed his eyes at the cookie before giving a huff and crossing his arms. A swiping motion of his thumb and there were two chocolate chip cookies instead of a sugar one. "What about two cookies?"

"How did you-"

"Paranormal Studies."

"I am the best," Randy nodded, handing the cookies over with a kiss to Danny's forehead. "And that sounds like a pretty awesome major, I'm not gonna lie." Pulling a chair up to the table, and spreading some of the papers around, the older gave a nod. "So, are you just picking out the last few of your classes, then?"

"Yeah. I'm not taking any of the 8 am classes-"

" _Don't do it_ ," Andrew looked to Danny, near _terrified_. "I will promise you right now, mon cher, that would be a mistake."

"Chill, Andy, he said he _wasn't_ taking any of them," Randy snorted, pulling close a marked up page that had classes scribbled down, crossed out, and circled in equal measure. "Seriously, though, do not. It will make you never want to be a morning person again."

"Yeah. I know." Danny huffed, giving a pout. "I'm trying to decide on electives."

"Well, it looks like you don't have much more to decide, so you'll probably be done by the time lunch is over, if it helps." Randy looked over the summary for the major Danny had chosen, head tilting as he looked over to the teen. "So, did you tell your parents what major you chose?"

"Not...yet." He shrunk a little bit, nibbling on his cookie. "I thought I would wait. A little. Until graduation. Of college." Andrew gave a small sigh while Randy poked at Danny's cheek with a little head tilt.

"I know I might be pushing it a _little_ here, but...maybe you should consider telling them about the half ghost thing, and this, _before_ you start college? Vlad told them his secret, and they accepted him. And you're their _kid_. Granted their parenting styles weren't the best, but...they care about you, yeah?"

"...Maybe," Danny sighed himself. "It's not like I can just walk right up to them and just be like 'Hey, Mom and Dad! I'm the ghost that you want dead! Well, half ghost because one of your inventions half killed me!'"

"Well, at least not that bluntly," Andrew muttered, kissing Danny's cheek at his look. "I know this feels like something you can't tell them, but I _do_ think they'll understand, mon cher. About everything."

"And it's best to do it before college because after then it'll feel like a rift between you and them," Randy pointed out, tapping at Danny's forehead. "You don't _have_ to, but we'd like you to at least consider telling them before summer ends." A small pause. " _Maybe_ also tell them that we're all three dating because otherwise there will be a lot of confusion if I slip up and kiss one of you two when we visit."

At that, Danny snorted. "I'm pretty sure they already know, Randy. You make it kind of obvious." He leaned against him for a moment before slumping again. "So, about that dying thing."

"Yeaaah. That sorta needs to be talked about, too." Randy leaned against the two of them, lightly scratching at Danny's scalp. "Less than a year, huh..."

"Yeah... But I'm gonna come back," he said, trying to help the situation.

"Trust me, I saw _that_ much in that weird vision," Randy snorted, kissing Danny's cheek. "Plus, you're far too stubborn to not come back. If only to help me keep Andy from overdosing on coffee."

"Yeah, huh?" Danny tugged on a lock of his hair. "And you from trying to do any weird experiments."

"I'll have you know that I follow proper lab protocol most of the time!" Randy snatched Danny and dragged him into his lap, kissing his cheek sweetly. "So, I think that's enough emotional talks for now. How about we finish getting you signed up for these classes, yeah?"

"Signed up for _what_ classes?"

"I dunno, I'm still trying to decipher this mess of handwriting, tables, and crossed out words," Randy snorted, narrowing his eyes at one of the more crossed out papers. "...I think I found the point you started passing out last night." Bits of poems, doodles, and little hearts with all their names inside. It was _adorable_.

"Huh? Yeah, I'm not surprised." Danny gave a huff. "So... How about this weekend?"

"Sounds perfect, mon cher."

::

"Mom! Dad! I'm home!"

"Danny-boy!" Danny barely got through the FentonWorks door before Jack was scooping him up for a hug, seeming quite pleased to see him. "Your mom's in the kitchen with Vladdie cooking lunch." A glance back, the man lowering his voice. "If one of them ends up dead, don't be surprised."

"Oh... Vlad is here?" He had really been hoping to catch them alone, triple checking that Jazz was at school.

"Yup!" Jack set Danny down in order to scoop up Andrew and Randy in hugs, one of them trying to viciously wiggle away while the other only looked faintly amused.

"So, Dad..." Seeing he had Jack's full attention, he gave a grin. "What's for lunch?" Randy only gave a raised eyebrow from where he was trapped, Andrew shaking his head as he tried to _escape from this damn hug_.

"I have no idea! I think they're still fighting over who's cooking what, but, that's pretty normal. Just ignore any swear words you hear." Jack beamed as he set the two ghosts in disguise down, finally heading back to the kitchen. Danny frowned as he walked into the kitchen.

His face was pinched with confusion. "Vlad doesn't swear." Maddie, hearing the words, gave an _ungodly_ snort of laughter.

"You're kidding me, right? You're- You're kidding. He swears more than _anyone_ -" Vlad was swatting at her arm, huffing and blushing just a _bit_.

"No, I do not." Damn dirty lie, but still.

"Seriously, I have never heard him swear- How much do you even bake to know that many desserts?" Vlad somehow blushed _more_ , Maddie getting a wicked grin on her face.

"Oh my god...you _censored_ yourself around the kids- Aww, you got attached!"

"Madeline! I swear, just- Just shush!" Uugghh. _Tiny child_. Must not swear. But fucking _Madeline_.

"This. This is why- I'm leaving." Danny turned around and left the kitchen, falling to lay on the couch with a groan because _no why did Vlad have to be here? Now he couldn't tell them!_

Randy rolled his eyes before kneeling next to the teen, poking at his cheek. "Ya know, this is actually a really good thing. Vlad can help explain the science part of how you turned, and back you up when you falter. This is probably a _very_ good thing." Another poke to the cheek.

"Yeah, but- He's _Vlad._ " The teen only sighed, his hand flopping off the couch. "I'm dead."

"No, no, you're _half_ dead," Randy corrected, tugging on the teen's shirt and dragging him closer to the edge. "Which you should be telling them. Now. Before you back out and we take you home because we're weak and do whatever you say." Danny whined, looking over to them.

"Can't I just...post pone? Until next week? Please?" He leaned against Randy as best he could, looking pathetic.

"Y- No! No- Quit, quit it! Andy, Andy help." He was weak. He was far too weak to Danny. Just...so weak. "Andy, please, help, I'm weak."

Andrew sighed as he kneeled down beside them. "Danny, you know that things will turn out well. Why do you want to put it off?"

The teen dropped his gaze, and gave a shrug. "I dunno." Randy ran a hand through the teen's hair, pressing a quick kiss to his forehead.

"Please? You know we wouldn't insist you do this if it was going to hurt you in any way." Danny latched onto the hand, watching them for a long moment before giving a small nod. Smiling, Randy nudged him up before gently guiding him towards the kitchen, where it looked like Vlad had been banished to the table and was now sulking. "You insulted her cooking, didn't you?"

"Well it's not like I'm wrong!" Vlad huffed, turning his head away with a _clear_ pout. Danny gave Vlad a head shake because no. No. You don't say that about her cooking. Ever. "Am I _wrong_ , though?"

"Give it up, Vladdie," Jack snorted, patting the man's back. "You know she always wins." Vlad only sunk down in his seat more, grumbling under his breath in ghostspeak. And there were some _very_ nasty words muttered. Danny blinked and huh. That was new. Vlad. _Cursing._

Randy snickered, looking incredibly amused at Danny's expression to the words. "You look so shocked." Really now, he had _worked_ for Vlad. The cursing was nothing new.

"Well-" Danny sputtered for a moment. "Yeah! He _never_ curses!"

"Around you and the young ghosts, no, he doesn't," Randy snickered quietly, looking even more amused. "Around others, though..."

Danny only shook his head in disbelief as he stared at Vlad. "I don't even _know_ you!" Vlad only gave a roll of his eyes, looking a touch more amused than he had been. "No. You know what? We're starting a swear jar." Danny looked around the kitchen before looking to Randy. "Randy, look on the tall shelves for a jar."

"...You're kidding- Danny, you're barely even _here_ anymore." Not to mention Danny swore as much as the rest of them. "You know what...fine. Fine." Randy dug around a cabinet for a moment, Maddie rolling her eyes and sliding one over. "Thank you." Grabbing a sharpie and marking that it was indeed a swear jar, Randy set it on the table.

Vlad, looking Danny straight in the eyes, pulling out a hundred dollar bill and stuffed it inside. "This is fucking ridiculous." Danny looked at the jar, and nudged it towards Vlad again. Vlad rolled his eyes but shoved a few more bills inside.

"So, Randall, I didn't realize you had a permit to carry guns." There was a very long moment of silence in the kitchen, Randy finally looking to Vlad with a confused expression, tone honestly confused and curious.

"...I need a permit?" Andrew sighed, shaking his head and looking _disappointed._

"Yes, Randy. Unlike _some_ people, I actually _keep track_ of the news."

"Wha- That's total bullshit. I should be allowed to carry my guns! Probably!" Blinking at feeling a jar nudge against his arm, Randy sighed before digging around for a dollar and stuffing it inside. Danny grinned widely. This was his best idea, yet.

"It's illegal to carry unless you have a permit in a lot of states. Including this one." Randy only crossed his arms behind his back, smiling as sweetly and innocently as possible.

"Well it's not like anyone's in any _danger_ from them."

"And why would _that_ be," Vlad questioned. Randy glanced from Vlad, to the guns, to Danny, back to the guns, and then to Jack and Maddie.

"...They're...fake?" A small cough. "You know, we're getting off subject here." A glance to Danny, with a clear look of 'forgive me'. "In fact, we're here because Danny wanted to tell you guys something."

"Yeah! I did." He looked up to them, blinking at them. "...Mom? Dad? Promise you won't be upset?"

"Oh, Danny, of course we won't be," Maddie smiled, breaking from what she was making and running a hand through Danny's hair. "Unless you had a child out of wedlock. And then I can't promise much."

"My major is Paranormal Studies." Randy quietly facepalmed, Andrew shook his head, and Vlad gave a quiet sigh. Jack, meanwhile, was scooping Danny up into a giant hug, _beaming_ at him.

"That's great, Danny!" Maddie was smiling, ruffling Danny's hair again.

"That really _is_ great, Danny. Are you happy with your choice?" Because despite what they said about the kids taking over FentonWorks one day, she _did_ want them to follow their dreams, first.

"Definitely," he said with a grin. And...maybe not today, but...he could build up to telling them. After all, he had planned to not tell them about his major, and here they were. So he would just...build up to it. Slowly. "So, what _is_ for lunch?"

"That..." Maddie glanced back to the stove. "Is a very good question."

"I _tried_ to tell you-"

"Oh, fuck you, Vlad!" Danny held his jar out to Maddie, still dangling from Jack's hug. "...Alright, alright." Maddie dug around for a moment before pausing, nodding, and dropping in a credit card. "It's Vlad's."

"What?! You stole _another_ card?!"

"3482 is the number to use it."

"Madeline!"

"Thanks, Mom!"


	28. Tucker Sucks at Video Games

**Kit - Tucker is never going to beat Sam at video games. Ever.**

 **Kas - This scene was a long time incoming.**

* * *

"By the way, I'm dying in less than a year." From where they were playing video games in Sam's room, Sam's character suddenly missed a jump, and Tucker's ran straight off the edge.

"...I mean, that's one way to open a conversation," Sam noted, patting Tucker on the back, who had started choking on his drink. "You know, it's a good thing we met up at my house, instead of yours. Cause I have a feeling that's something that _hasn't_ been told to your parents."

"Well, then I'd have to tell them about the time powers, which leads to the half-ghost thing, which yeah. Don't wanna tell them that _quite_ yet." A pause from Sam at the wording, who narrowed her eyes at him.

"'Quite yet'? So...you're thinking about actually telling them?" There was no judgement in the tone, Sam looking down to Danny, who was stretched out over her's and Tucker's laps.

He gave a small nod, still playing his game. "Yeah. I mean, eventually."

"Well, hey, that's good," Tucker pointed out, picking at Danny's shoelaces and tying them together, noticing that the teen wasn't much paying attention. "So, what else do we need to be caught up on? Besides the whole 'die in a year' thing that I'm trying not to think about at the moment."

"Well, I already told you guys about Andy, Randy, and I. Nothing's changed there, really. Oh yeah, I ordered Spectra's death." There was another long silence, Sam pausing the game before curling over Danny, looking _exhausted_ as she rested her forehead on his back.

"Daaannnyyyy." Tucker was looking just as exhausted, poking at the teen's leg.

"So, uh, when was this...thing?" Spectra's...death. That- Tucker definitely wasn't against it, considering how big of a _bitch_ she was- Or, uh, had been, but, still. That was a bit...dark, for Danny.

"A couple weeks ago, at the marketplace." He pressed the buttons on the gamepad, near breaking the controller. "She tortured and killed kids."

"What the _fuck_. I know she was a bitch but what the _fuck_." Sam seemed just as pissed - although she was gently taking the game from Danny before he could break it. "Wait... Back up a bit. 'Ordered'?"

"Yeah. I didn't actually do it. Randy did, which, y'know. Makes sense, and all." He gave a shrug as he tugged at his hair. Sam gently took his hands away and instead dragged over a beaded pillow, letting him mess with that, instead of his _hair_.

"Kinda does make sense, when you think about it, yeah. So, uh, what did the other ghosts say about this? Do they _know_ about this?" Sam glanced to Tucker, who gave a small shrug.

"It's not like many ghosts care about Spectra, or take notice of where she is." A gentle pat to Danny's back. "Is this about that King thing you mentioned one time? I mean, you were kind of delirious with lack of sleep at the time, so we didn't get much."

"As far as I know? The other ghosts...don't actually know, I think." Danny was squeezing and pulling at the pillow, curled tightly around it. "And...yeah. Hence the whole dying thing."

"So, then... You're gonna be King of the Ghost Zone in less than a year..." It was less a question, and more of a nervous realization. While Tucker patted at Danny's back again, Sam was taking a picture of him and the pillow and sending it to Andrew and Randy with instructions to get more of them.

"Spirit World," he absently corrected.

"...Gotta admit, that sounds more badass than 'Ghost Zone'," Sam nodded, petting the top of Danny's head. "Wanna talk to us all about your troubles or woes, or do you want me to kick your ass at more video games?"

" _Or_ we can talk about college," Tucker pointed out. "Like majors, and stuff."

" _No._ " Danny was glaring at him with bright green eyes, though it looked like he _was_ calming down a bit.

"Tucker, you are the only one who seems to enjoy the thought of double majoring and working yourself to Danny's level of death," Sam scoffed, shoving lightly at the other's shoulder. "No." A sudden gasp. "When you die from work stress overload, _Danny_ is going to be _in charge_ of you. Like, legit can order you around." A nudge to Danny. "Two words. Pharaoh's revenge."

Danny gave a nod. "I'll keep that in mind." He nudged his head at her hand with a hum. Sam gave a snort of laughter but scratched his scalp again anyways.

"Yeah, yeah, now can we _please_ get back to me kicking Sam's ass at this game?" At the looks from both friend's, Tucker gave a pout. "It could happen."

"Yeah, in your dreams, geek boy."

"I've seen it. It's true."

"Just for that, I'm going to beat you both. Bring it."

"Yeah, okay."

::

"Raaandy. I need attention."

"See, this is why I call you kitten, now," Randy snorted, snatching Danny and teleporting them to the gardens. Flopping down, he shifted to where Danny was on top of him. "In what form would you like attention, needy but adorable kitten." Danny hummed happily as he leaned up and gave Randy a sweet kiss.

"You know, Andy is incredibly happy you don't use that name, anymore." Randy chuckled, twisting them around and pulling Danny back into the kiss, making it deeper, and longer.

"He's just happy I don't use the name on _him_ , anymore." And, whoops, was he rubbing at the back of Danny's spine? How terrible of him. "So, you told Tucker and Sam about everything, huh?" Danny purred, nuzzling against Randy and giving him a nod. In answer to _both._ "How'd they take it?"

As he spoke, he pressed sweet kisses to Danny's neck and shoulders, lightly nibbling on the neck and shoulder meet, where he _knew_ Danny was rather weak. The teen gave a quiet gasp, his purrs hitching before his tail wrapped around Randy's leg as he nuzzled at the side of the man's head. Randy gave a quiet chuckle, hand scratching through the hazmat suit to drag trails across the skin, paralleling the spine. "They- Ah... They were fine." And oooh, that felt _so nice._

"That's good, I suppose," Randy mumbled, words rumbling against the skin as he pressed nips and kisses along the collarbone. "And how are you doing with everything?" As soon as he asked the question, he gave a particularly sharp nip, teeth scraping against bone for a split second.

The teen gasped again, his sounds caught in between purrs and moans as he pulled Randy closer to him. "I- I am _fantastic._ " Randy seemed quite pleased by the noises, teeth playing with the skin and making the mark darker, nails sliding down his sides. And maybe some nails slipping around to dig in sharply at the base of the spine. That was getting a clear moan out of the teen, and a quiet whisper. " _Randy._ "

Randy was only quietly moving to press more bites to the skin, all the way up to Danny's neck, making each one darker, and larger. At a particularly sharp one, he was gently lapping over it with his tongue, soothing the pain away. Danny whined, trying to tug Randy closer, his tail tightening around the man's upper leg. There was a quiet, low chuckle, Randy nipping at the pulse point of the teen's neck at the same time he rubbed deep circles into the tail. The action elicited another moan out of the teen as the the tail only flicked, and Danny was pulling at Randy's clothes.

"Ahem." At the familiar cough, Randy was pausing in his _slight_ torture of the teen, looking up to see Andrew in front of him. Giving a nod, he settled back down over Danny, lapping lightly at the marks he had made on the teen.

"He wanted me to show him attention."

"Though I really hate to ruin your fun, it's time for dinner. _Someone_ has school in the morning, after all."

"True," Randy sighed, letting up on Danny and pressing a fluttering kiss to the teen's lips. Bouncing up, he happily hummed as he headed for the kitchen. "I'll go make sure everything's on track, and all that~"

Andrew only tsked and shook his head before kneeling down next to Danny, nudging at him lightly. "Mon cher?"

Danny blinked, looking confused. Where was the warmth that had been on top of him...? "Huh?" Andrew rolled his eyes, tugging at the teen's hazmat suit to see just how _many_ marks Randy had marked the teen up with. A glance showed that Danny would _definitely_ be wearing turtlenecks for the next few days.

"Randy decided to spoil you, a little bit, it seems. Almost ready for dinner?" The poor, sweet thing. They tortured him far too much.

"Uh... Yeah. Yeah." He slowly floated upright, clinging tightly to Andrew's arm. "I'm fine." Just a tiny bit deprived. Andrew cuddled the teen closely, kissing him sweetly and nuzzling against his cheek.

"You poor, poor thing." Andrew glance towards the doorway that led back to the library, and near the kitchens, before looking down to Danny. "You know, with Randy taking over the kitchen, we now have _quite_ a bit of time until dinner, it seems..."

"What...are you saying?" Danny rose an eyebrow to Andrew. Andrew only hummed, nuzzling at one of the marks Randy had made, and aggravating the skin just a _bit_.

"All I'm saying is that we have some time until dinner, and I was curious if there was anything you wanted to do." He rubbed little circles into the base of the teen's spine, seeming quite content to hold him closer. "After all, I feel as if I've neglected you a bit, this summer." Shivering, Danny leaned against him, his purring causing him to shake and really. He was still weak from Randy, after all. "Oh, you poor thing, Randy's been _far_ too cruel to you."

Tucking Danny under his chin, and maybe nipping at the tip of his ear, Andrew carried Danny off towards the bedroom. "Why don't we let you...rest, for a bit, until dinner, hm?" Danny gave a huff, one hand clinging tightly to Andrew's sleeve.

" _Will you be there?_ " Andrew hummed, seeming to be thinking over the question before drawing Danny into a lingering, deep kiss, nipping at the teen's lower lip.

" _Only if you want me there._ " The young halfa pressed back into the kiss, giving a quiet whine.

" _Please._ "

" _For you, my dear, anything._ "


	29. The Curse of College

**Kas - Happy Dannyversary!**

 **Kit - Our gift to you iiisss...you guessed it! More chapters! Because we don't have a life!**

 **Kas - It's called Spring Break.**

 **Kit - Okay, Kas is on spring break, I just plain don't have a life.**

* * *

"Okay, but consider this." Seeing he had both of his mates' attention, Randy nodded and continued speaking. "Kidnapping Danny and never letting him leave Vidya ever again."

"But..." He blinked up at Randy, looking innocent and pathetic. "I already paid for it. Do you want all my tuition money to go to waste and turn into loans."

"Vlad paid for it, I remember you complaining about it, so don't even try."

"...Do you want all his money to go to waste-"

"Yes." Randy was sitting against the front doors like an overprotective guard dog, arms crossed. "You don't need schooling, it's stupid."

"But you got schooling," Danny pointed out. Randy only settled down against the door and slumped against it, Andrew rolling his eyes with a sigh and shake of his head.

"Mon chevalier, we can teleport around you. You doing this is doing nothing but making a stubborn statement that you'll be changing before the hour's out."

"But what if there's a _serial killer_ in his classroom?!"

Danny floated over to him and nuzzled their cheeks together. "Does it help if I promise to behave?" Randy slumped a little, nuzzling back a small amount.

"It helps if you promise to contact us if there's any trouble you can't handle on your own."

"I _pinkie_ promise." He kissed the tip of Randy's nose. The older gave a little wrinkle of his nose before sighing and standing up, his and Andrew's human disguises already on.

"Alright, alright...let's go before you're late, I guess. Got everything for the first day? Backpack, books, pencils, all that?" ...Okay, so he was being a little...housewife-y. Danny nodded and leaned against him.

"Yep. Got all of it. Do we have any water bottles?" Randy blinked at the question, raising an eyebrow before looking to Andrew, who paused before giving a nod and answering the question.

"Yes, we should. Why do you need one?"

"Because I need water," Danny said, raising an eyebrow at them as though the answer were obvious. Andrew rolled his eyes but waved him off towards the kitchen.

"There should be a few in the fridge." As soon as Danny was flying off to the kitchen, Andrew was looking down at Randy with a raised eyebrow. "'Serial killers'?"

"...It could happen," Randy defended, pouting even more, and, really. Everyone was against him.

"Randy, I'm _mates_ with two assassins. I think I'll be fine." The teen was rolling his eyes and kissing his cheek. "So, wanna come with me?"

"...Yes." Floating up, Randy snatched Danny in a hug, nuzzling their cheeks together. "Ready?"

He grinned widely. "Ready." And... It was so strange. For the first time in a while, he was _excited_ for school. A flash of power and they were all suddenly tucked away in an alleyway just out of sight of Danny's new school, students going in and out of the building.

"Welp, wasn't noticed, so that was something, at least."

Danny grinned as he tightly wrapped himself around Randy, nuzzling at his neck. "I love you so very much and you're amazing." Randy gave a startled little noise that trailed into a purr, the man eagerly nuzzling back and seeming quite delighted. "Hey, come on, let's go check it out!"

"Hm? Ah, yes, yes." Randy set Danny down, patting his head as he snatched Andrew's shirt and dragged him along after the teen. "So, which buildings are your classes in?"

"Uh, the first one is in...Simmons Hall?" Danny gave a shrug. Randy nodded, glancing around and giving another nod.

"Seems like a good place. You know where your classes are, and everything?"

"Mhm. I'll be fine- Sorry!"

"Oh, no, no worries, I wasn't paying attention." The woman he had bumped into waved it off, looking to have just barely saved a few papers from falling to the ground.

"Hey, do you happen to know where Simmons Hall is?"

"...Well, there goes that plan of asking you three if you knew where it was." A glance down to what looked like a half scribbled out map, the woman scrunching her nose up. "I _think_ it's the building next to the main one. Think. I'm still trying to decipher this."

"Yeah, the maps here _suck._ I'm Danny." He stuck his hand out to the woman, giving her one of his dorky, fourteen-year-old grins.

"I'm Lyla," the woman smiled back, shaking his hand. "And it's nice to know it's not just me sucking with maps. So, if you're in Simmons building, I'm gonna take a guess and say you're in Paranormal Studies, yeah?"

"Uh, yeah. I didn't think other people really thought that was a thing." He rubbed at the back of his neck as he gave Andrew and Randy a small backwards wave. Randy gave a happy wave back before he was dragging Andrew off, Lyla watching them for a moment.

"They aren't students, here, then? Or were they just walking you to your classes?"

"They were just walking me over, yeah." The teen only hummed happily as he walked to where she had said. "So, are you in Paranormal Studies, too?"

"Yup! I'm really into ghosts, but, you know, _real_ ghosts. Not that Ghost Hunters stuff you see on the no longer about history channel." Lyla looked back down at her map, giving a nod. "So, first class is probably with Geralds?"

"Yeah, you have the same?"

"Yup. Unfortunately, he's the only one that teaches the core classes for this major, even if everyone I've talked to says he's a dick. Best advice is to keep an eye on the website and syllabus. I heard he changes it _daily_."

"Yeah, alright." The two walked to class, one of them aware they were still being watched. And a bit amused by the fact.

"Randy, I'm telling you, he's perfectly fine on his own."

"I know that. He has ghost powers, it's not like there's anything here that's gonna cause _real_ harm. Especially with him and Plasmius being on good terms." Although that didn't stop Randy from watching Danny disappear into the building, the man shifting nervously.

" _Randy._ " Andrew kissed at his cheek, leaning against him. "You trusted me when we were at college, now you have to trust him, alright?"

"I...trust him," Randy mumbled, leaning back against Andrew and sighing quietly. "I...didn't ever really explain that whole thing with Loyalty, did I?"

"...No. You didn't. But I let you be." Andrew nuzzled against him a small amount, giving a sigh of his own. Randy gave a small smile at that, pecking Andrew on the cheek and lingering for a moment.

"When...there's a King of the Spirit World, there's always a ghost that's made...his knight. You remember Fright Knight, right? How he was so attached to Pariah?"

"I...do." Andrew slowly nodded, looking to him.

"The knight is always a ghost with close ties to the one who's king. Their power gets...amplified." Randy leaned against the wall more, looking down at the ground and speaking quietly. "It's always the same, with the ghost skilled in three attacks. Shields, teleportation, and skill with their weapon. Their one job, their one _duty_ , is to protect their king, and keep him safe."

"That...makes quite a bit more of sense." Andrew kissed his forehead, combing a hand through his hair. "So, then... Does this also apply to the Prince?" Because alright. It made sense. He'd come to terms with this.

"Far as I can tell," Randy chuckled, leaning into the touch. "The knight's job is to protect the royal family. Although I don't think being _mated_ to them is something that was expected."

"Well, you know, _I_ would feel much safer curled up to you at Vidya." He nuzzled at Randy's neck, purring against him. Randy gave a little purr of his own at the action, laughing quietly again.

"I bet you would." A flash of power and some clever shifting and he had Andrew in his lap, the two wrapped up in a bubble shield at the bottom of the pond in the gardens. "But, yeah... That explains why I've been so... _protective_ over you two, I guess. More so than usual."

"I suppose it does." Andrew, true to his word, curled up to him, gently holding onto the man's shirt. Watching the pond and the fish swimming by them, his eyes sparkled with wonder and curiosity. Randy gave a soft smile at watching him, arms curling around him as he settled back, tucking Andrew close to him and giving a little sigh of relief.

"You know, we still have our illusions on." Which meant _he_ still had glasses and curls. Andrew smiled as he nuzzled at his chest, shifting so he could hear the rhythmic thrumming of Randy's core.

"I know." Randy gave a little purr, rubbing a hand at the back of Andrew's scalp and settling down even more.

"You're just happy you get to see the curls again."

"Without any shame," the younger said, humming happily as he gave another nuzzle, staring out at the pond.

"Yeah, yeah."


	30. Bilbo Baggins Curls

**Kas - Bow chicka bow wow.**

 **Kit - Wow. Just wow. I mean, you're not wrong- You poor things, too. That 'scene' was so much longer before we...T rated it.**

 **Kas - Don't worry. If you all really want, you can pm us for the full scene.**

 **Kit - Heh, you should ask about your 30/100 day smut prompt stuff~**

* * *

"Sooo, how's classes going?" Randy leaned over Danny from where he was laying on the couch, looking amused.

Danny gave a hum, halfheartedly trying to snatch at him. "They're okay." Randy let him try a few more times before he was scooping the teen up and laying down with him, hands moving to rub circles over his spine.

"Any interesting classmates that aren't completely insane?" Danny gave quiet purrs, nuzzling against him.

"That Lyla girl's really nice. We have the same major." Randy gave a little coo at Danny's purrs, tucking the teen closer and slipping his hands under the shirt. One hand continued to rub along the spine, while the other traced little swirls along the sides.

"That's good, she seemed...Samish. Samish is the word I want to use there."

"Mhm." And ooh, that felt so nice if he would just go a _little_ lower. Randy gave a little chuckle, and, really, there wouldn't be _much_ more conversation from Danny. Seeing the reactions, Randy rubbed a little lower, kissing at Danny's forehead.

"At least your classes are something you enjoy studying. That's a good thing." There was a hitch in Danny's purring, and the teen was clutching tightly at Randy's shirt.

"Yep. Yes. Very good- _Oooh, yes yes yes._ " Randy grinned, rubbing even deeper at the spot, and shifting so Danny's chest was pressed against his own.

"You're so easy to please, my sweet." Really, though, the teen's reactions was just _adorable_. Anything Danny _had_ been about to say was reduced to mutters of adoration and pleasure as he tried to press himself closer. " _Adorable_." _Whoops_ was that his hand slipping a little lower? How terrible of him, truly. A shudder, and the mutters seemed to be more frequent and...not quite innocent.

Randy was grinning as he shifted to pull Danny into a deep kiss, lingering for a few moments before pressing kisses and bites to his neck and collarbone, pulling the teen even closer. "My poor little halfa...you've been under so much stress, lately, haven't you?"

Danny gave a quiet gasp as he pulled at Randy's shirt, his face flushed. " _Randy._ " The older gave a hum, grinning into the skin as he gave another sharp nip.

" _Do you want me to stop?_ "

The teen only whined, holding Randy against the bite to keep him there. " _Please no._ " Randy was biting slightly harder, teeth near tearing the skin before he was parting enough to lick at the forming mark.

" _Tell me what you want._ " One of his hands sunk a bit lower, scratching sharply at the skin before rubbing the pain away with the pads of his fingertips. Giving a shaky moan, Danny rolled his hips against Randy's.

" _You, please you._ " A flash of teleportation energy and Randy was drawing the teen into a rough kiss, nails clawing down his sides as he ground down into him, pressing him into the bed.

" _My sweet, I would love nothing more._ "

Danny's face was already a bright red, his hair a bit of a mess as he tried to grind back. " _Ohh, Randy._ "

" _Ssh, it's alright, my sweet, it's alright_ ," Randy cooed, pinning Danny down by his wrists and grinning _wickedly_ down at him. " _I'll be_ _ **sure**_ _to take care of you~_ "

::

"Gonna admit, that was a long time in coming."

Danny looked to Randy in absolute disbelief. "No. You think?" Randy only stuck his tongue out, brushing fingers across the teen's tickle spots.

" _Excuse_ me for trying to pace things and make sure you weren't being overwhelmed by any of this. I can see my efforts were _much_ appreciated." Shivering a bit, he tugged the covers over them. And then maybe attacked Danny's tickle spots again. Danny giggled, pressing himself closer to Randy and curling up, making half hearted attempts to stop the torture. He only ended up giggling _more._

"You are the most adorablest, cuterest, _preciouserest_ thing ever," Randy declared, finally stopping before snatching Danny into a hug and nuzzling at the top of his head. "And I love you. Very, very much."

"I love you, too," Danny said as he nuzzled back, barely noticing when he changed into his ghost form to wrap his tail around Randy's waist. Randy gave a chuckle at the action, tucking Danny closer and settling down.

"Don't quite remember, but I _think_ I was asking you about your classes and how they're going. Any 'authentic ghost attacks' that might need to happen, perhaps?"

"Now that you say something, it sounds really nice," Danny hummed.

"So, I take it you two had fun."

"You are a dick, you know that, right?" Randy glanced back to see Andrew standing in the doorway, looking amused. "You are the dickest dick to ever dick." And, yes, he was not ashamed in admitting that he may be possessively clutching onto Danny and curling around him.

Andrew moved from his position in the doorway to sit beside them on the bed, "Perhaps, but I am curious as to how your classes are going, as well."

Danny smiled as Andrew tousled his hair. "The Paranormal Studies teacher could definitely be better. _Lancer_ could replace him."

"That doesn't surprise me too much," Andrew chuckled, scratching at Randy's scalp, his hair an utter _wreck_. It was also amusing to see the man lean into the touch before purring loudly, completely relaxed. "How many students know about Amity Park, then?"

"A fair few." He gave a small shrug. "I dunno." He nuzzled against Andrew, looking content at having the two so close.

"Well, if a ghost attack _were_ to happen near the school...it would certainly be an interesting lesson for your classmates."

"Yeah. Maybe save it for a different time. Like when I need an A." Andrew only hummed, drawing the blankets over them a bit more as he gave a quiet chuckle.

"Bonne nuit, mes chers."

Danny pouted up at him. "But I'm not tired!" A tiny shift and Randy was nuzzling against him again, gently rubbing down his spine and humming a quiet lullaby under his breath. "...Since when do you know lullabies," Danny asked, and no, he was not yawning.

Andrew gave a small smile, running a hand through Danny's hair and rubbing at the scalp a bit. "White Fang had a song, as well."

The teen blinked, looking to Randy with startlement. "...Really?" He sounded as though he were in quiet awe. Randy grinned, pecking Danny on the lips.

"Yup. I like Andy's more, though, but I still made my own."

"Do you think you can sing it?"

"...If you want." Danny gave him a smile, looking expectant. Randy laughed, nuzzling against the teen before he was humming again, the hums changing into quietly sung words. " _Dear little sinner who thinks he can run. Dear little sinner who thinks he can flee. We're here to drag you down away from the sun. We're here to show you the hell that you see._ " The youngest was only watching him happily, looking near entranced as he pressed closer to Randy.

" _That wicked, wicked wolf with fangs of white. That wicked, wicked wolf with claws of black. He follows his master, just out of sight. A stray feral wolf who was stolen from his pack._ " Andrew was running a hand through Randy's hair, giving him a bittersweet smile as he kissed his forehead. Randy only barely noticed, looking to be lost in his memories as he sung quietly, voice fitting the song perfectly. " _Dear little sinner who flees from the Priest. Dear little sinner who runs from his pet. We are here to pray over the deceased. We are here to settle your debt._ "

" _That wicked, wicked wolf with fangs of red. That wicked, wicked wolf with claws of death. He follows his master with the souls of the dead. A stray feral wolf with a prayer on his breath..._ " The song dropped back off into quiet humming, sounding much less feral than it had at the start. Danny was wrapped tightly around him, his white hair ruffled a bit more than usual as his chest slowly moved up, then down. The teen's eyes were closed, and he looked more peaceful than he had in awhile. Andrew was only smiling at them.

"Still as beautiful as ever." Randy gave a small hum, leaning back against Andrew as he ran a hand through Danny's hair, quietly watching him for a few moments. A smile flickered on his face, the oldest shaking his head.

"Leave it to him to turn death marches into lullabies..." What a strange thing they had fallen in love with. Although he wouldn't have wished for a thing to be different.

"I know," Andrew said with a quiet chuckle. "He so adores them." He shook his own head, scratching gently at Randy's scalp. "But I have no problem with it."

"Mhm... We got really lucky."

"Yes, I suppose we did."

::

At the loud crash above them, Danny was yelping and instantly clinging to Randy's side. Randy, who _had_ been lightly dozing, was snapping awake and bubbling them on near instinct. Realizing what was going on, he gave a small nod and nudged Danny softly. "Wanna move to one of the lower rooms?" Danny gave a shaky nod, his eyes shut tightly as he stayed where he was.

Randy was quick to teleport them to one of the lower rooms, letting the bubble drop away as he started a fire and snatched a blanket to throw it over the teen. Rubbing at his scalp, he gave a quiet sigh. "Is there anything I can do to help? Do you want Andy here?" Danny gave another nod, looking a bit more calmed down, still flinching terribly at another thunder clap, that one sounding further away.

A quick teleport and Andrew was sitting on the couch next to Danny, Randy nodding and pecking Danny on the forehead. "I'll be right back, okay?" A flash and he was gone. Andrew gave a small sigh as he held Danny close.

"Feeling any better?"

"...A little," the teen croaked out, tucking himself under Andrew's chin. The older was pulling Danny a bit closer, wrapping the blanket around him tightly and kissing his cheek.

"It's alright, mon cher, we're here for you." It was a few moments before two thumps signaled the lions had arrived, Sasha's paws hooked over the couch as she gave a lick to Danny's cheek. Danny took in a long breath, holding the blanket close and trying to just focus on the texture. It was the same fuzzy blanket they used whenever one of them passed out on the couch.

It wasn't long until Randy was returning and settling down on the couch with them, cups of hot chocolate in hand. Passing them off, Randy gave a nod and nuzzled at Danny's cheek. "Right. What you need is a _distraction._ "

"We could always let him comb your hair. I believe that is supposed to be somewhat therapeutic." Andrew shrugged at the looks, taking a sip from his own cup. "I will admit it is a shameless attempt to see your curls again." The youngest only curled up at their sides, sipping at his cup and staying silent. He was more than content to just...sit there with them. That would probably help him the most. "I'm just saying, it wouldn't be a _bad_ thing to leave your hair unstyled here and there."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Randy waved off, scratching at Danny's scalp a little and lightly nuzzling against him. "You know what I find amusing? I only have _half_ my curls in that human illusion. Danny's yet to see me with _full_ curls." Danny looked up at him curiously, leaning further against him. He would like to hear more about that.

"Picture Bilbo Baggins curls and you're on the right path," Andrew snickered, laughing as Randy swatted harmlessly at him. "You're the one who started the conversation, I'll remind you."

"I know, don't make me regret it." A long moment of silence, and a very heavy sigh. "Alright, it was gonna happen eventually. Where's a comb?" A comb was dropped into his lap, Vidya humming happily. Danny glanced to Randy as he picked up the comb, looking curious.

"Is it alright?" Randy shifted a bit and settled down so Danny could reach his hair more easily, looking amused.

"Go for it. At this point, I don't even _hate_ the curls anymore. You two love 'em too much for that." Besides, distractions were good things for thunderstorm fears. Danny smiled and gently dragged the comb through Randy's hair.

"You know, this is the first time it's been this bad," Andrew hummed. Randy only responded with rumbling purrs, slumping down against Danny in delight. And, right, was he supposed to be against the combing of hair? He was pretty sure he was but sooo nice. Danny quietly laughed, nuzzling at Randy's forehead.

"Adorable." He continued to comb at the man's hair, looking far more relaxed. Andrew watched the two with a fond smile, happy that Danny seemed much better off. Usually he wasn't _this_ bad with storms, but with the knowledge that in a year... He could see why it hit him harder than normal.

"'M...'m tha prettiest wolf." Randy was now a limp pile of purring ghost in Danny's lap, cups moved off to the side before they could spill. Danny giggled, running a hand through the fluffy curls.

"My cute little puppy." At the nickname, Randy was purring even more, nuzzling up to Danny and curling under his chin, seeming _delighted_. Even if his hair _was_ a mess of curls and ringlets.

Andrew rose an eyebrow, looking incredibly amused. "Is that so?"

Danny blinked at Andrew innocently. "What? He likes it. Don't you, sweetie?"

"Hm? Mhm." Randy arched into Danny's touches, nuzzling closer and curling up in his lap, purring even louder.

"See?" Andrew only rolled his eyes, looking far too amused at Randy's reactions. Really, it was adorable at how the man was like an overly pampered pet.

"I'm rather certain if he had a tail, it would be wagging."

Danny paused, gently scratching Randy's scalp. "Randy, sweetheart? Can you bring out your tail for us?" Randy, who was still purring, seemed to take a long time to think over the words before his legs were deforming into a ghostly tail. And, really, Andrew _may_ have given a snort of laughter at seeing the tip of it was wagging fiercely. Danny laughed himself, looking up to Andrew. "See? He likes it."

"I hope you know you're probably the only one who can actually _make_ him form his tail with just a request. He usually hates it." Andrew blinked as he felt a weight in his lap, the man looking down to see Randy had moved just enough to lay over both of their laps. "Adorable."

The teen huffed, pouting as he curled around Randy. "I didn't _make_ him do anything." A shift and Randy was dragging Danny down and curling around him tightly, tail wrapping around his legs and keeping him close.

" _Mine, mine, mine, mine, mine, perfect, perfect mate._ "

"You know what, mon cher? I _think_ he rather likes you." Danny looked startled for a moment before purring back at him, nuzzling into his chest and wrapping his arms around his stomach.

"Perfect."

Andrew chuckled quietly as he ruffled the hair of both of them, looking amused to see that Danny had all but forgotten the storm. Judging by Randy's self-satisfied expression, he had rather noticed, too. "Ridiculous, the pair of you."

"Mhm, love you too, darling~"


	31. Ghostwriter Can Flirt?

**Kit - Randy! How _improper_!**

 **Kas - As unlikely as it seems, ghosts have social norms, too.**

 **Kit - They're just more...ghostly.**

* * *

"So, what's been up with you guys?"

"You know, same old, same old. Ember not being able to hit high notes, Kitty messing up her make-up and not noticing-"

"And Johnny facing constant death," Kitty interrupted, knocking the teen's chair over and sending him crashing to the ground. "You know, because he doesn't know when to shut up."

Danny laughed, looking amused as Ember snickered, herself. "Yeah, just about same old. What about you, babypop? There's always something new going on with you."

"Who, me? Oh, nothing, really... I mean, I'm in college, so I've already got all three of you beat." A snort of laughter from Johnny, and a shake of the head from Ember.

"That was low, babypop. You know what's funnier? You're now the oldest of us, and yet we're all taller than you." A nudge to the chair Danny was sitting in. "Much taller."

"For now," the teen muttered. He crossed his arms, giving a pout as his legs formed his usual tail.

"Aw, lay off, Ember," Kitty huffed, ruffling Danny's hair. "Come on, he's probably gonna at least be taller than _you_. I mean, you shouldn't be _that_ proud that you have two inches on him."

"Oh, yeah, hey, kid." Johnny poked his head up, pausing from where he was getting off the floor. "You seen Spectra? I mean, not that I'm missing her, but it's weird we haven't seen her in the last few weeks."

Danny nearly fell from where he'd been leaning back in his chair. "Ahh, n- no. I haven't seen her since the whole marketplace incident." He just wouldn't say which one.

"Pft, which _one_ ," Kitty snorted, taking pity and pulling Johnny up. "She makes scenes wherever she goes. Ugh, she's such a _bitch_. I mean, I get it, that's how she gets her energy, but she goes _overboard_ with it!"

Ember rolled her eyes, kicking her feet up on the table. "Wherever she is, glad it's not here."

"Heh. Yeah. She caused way too much trouble. You know, she did that stuff on _kids._ "

"What?!" That had all three of them looking to Danny in shock, Johnny giving a low whistle. "I knew she was messed up, but I didn't think she'd go for _kids_? Like, legit _kids_ kids?"

Danny nodded, leaning back in his chair and tipping his head back. "Children of the Spirit World."

"Ho. Lee. Fuck."

"That's some serious shit, man," Johnny muttered, shaking his head. "I'm surprised someone hasn't tracked her down and given her shit about it. That's not just pissin' some people off, that's facing _serious_ consequences."

"Hey, maybe _that's_ why she's gone," Ember suggested. "She finally got bit in the ass."

"My compliments to whoever finally did it," Johnny snorted, Kitty only staring at Danny with a somewhat blank expression before giving a nod and speaking.

"Yeah, well, we don't know for certain. So, Danny, what's with _Randy_? Used to he'd be going _everywhere_ around the Zone, and now he just lingers around you and GW all the time."

"...I dunno. He hasn't gone on any jobs in a while. Maybe he's just more comfortable staying at home with us." Danny gave a shrug, his tail flicking.

"Seriously. It's like you're all..." Ember stuck her tongue out. "Domestic."

"Hey, domesticity isn't _that_ bad," Kitty pointed out, pulling herself up to sit on the kitchen counter. "He _has_ been attached to you and GW a lot, though. Anything going on that we need to worry about?"

Danny stuck his bottom lip out as he thought about it before shrugging and shaking his head. "Nothing to worry about, no."

"Okay, but here's the _real_ question." Seeing she had their attention, Ember continued. "Is there a secret three-way relationship going on between you three-"

"Ember! Come on! Can't you at least _try_ to be serious?"

"Dude, two of them are _brothers_. And the other two mates!" Danny rose an eyebrow, looking amused as he let them debate it. "There's no way-"

"Oh, come on, Randy's been gay for Ghostwriter for years, we've all seen it! Did you not see all those mistletoe attempts at the Truce parties?!" Kitty only rolled her eyes while Johnny shook his head. "I'm serious! It wouldn't even surprise me if they _weren't_ brothers!"

The halfa asked them, "Why do you think _Randy's_ gay?"

"No, no, I said he's gay _for_ Ghostwriter, but he's totally bi, or some shit," Ember snorted, waving it off. "Seriously, he used to be the _biggest_ flirt before you showed up. It's died down since then, actually..."

"Rumors go far," Kitty rolled her eyes. "He wasn't _that_ bad, just flirted more than anything. It _did_ die down around the time you started hanging out here, though. Maybe he has a crush on you, Danny."

Danny snorted. "That explains where Andy got it, then." He decided to not confirm or deny their suspicions.

"...Ghostwriter can flirt?" Johnny blinked, seeming startled. "No fucking shit. There's no way _he_ can flirt."

"Hah! Are you kidding?! He's the biggest flirt I've met! He's worse than Tucker!"

"Alright, now I _know_ you're exaggerating," Ember shook her head. "He's the biggest prude this side of the Zone!"

"Prude? Andy? Now I _know_ we're not talking about the same person."

"Now, if we were talking about Randy being the biggest flirt, I could see it. But seriously, _Ghostwriter_? Come on, now."

"I dunno...there was that one party where he got a bit drunk," Johnny pointed out, looking amused. "He and Randy were in drinking contests the whole night, and by the end of it they were...something."

"I am definitely not surprised," Danny said with a laugh.

"Oo, I have pictures from that party!" Kitty was bouncing up and going to dig around for a few moments, coming back with a book of photos before flipping through. "Next five pages. It was a very interesting party..."

Ember gave a snort of laughter, pointing out a picture. "Feel free to take pictures of pictures, because oh, man. That's the night we found out they were very _close_ brothers."

"Oh, I am _so_ using these against them," he said, already snapping pictures of the pages with his phone. "This is so great." He had to get them drunk more often...

Ember rose an eyebrow, nudging at him with her elbow. "Oh yeah? What's that supposed to mean?"

"What? I can totally mercilessly tease them about it!"

"Especially since they're always going on about how 'French people don't get drunk'," Johnny snorted, seeing a picture of him wearing nothing but boxers and dancing on the stage. "Kitty! You told me you got rid of that picture!"

"Oh my god!" Danny laughed, barely noticing his tail resting against Ember.

"Ah, sorry, babypop, didn't see ya there." Ember was quickly moving away so Danny's tail was swaying through the air instead. "You alright?"

Danny frowned, looking up at her and tilting his head. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Ooh, you probably don't know," Kitty spoke up. "It's generally seen as kind of a bad thing to touch other ghosts' tails. Tails are kind of sensitive, after all. You don't see others touching others' tails unless they're really, _really_ close, or something."

There was a long moment before the halfa was leaning back in his chair, looking incredibly amused. "You don't say."

"You are far too amused at this information," Johnny pointed out, eyes narrowing. "You're going to torture those Riters of yours, aren't you?"

"Of course I am."

"Well, I mean, if you're going to _torture_ them." Kitty grinned widely as she went over to get more books of pictures. "You're gonna need a lot of ammo. And I have _years_ of pictures from Truce parties."

"I thought Andy barely ever went to the Truce parties."

"There's a reason for that~"

::

"Yo!" Randy was latching onto Danny near the second he was through the door, nuzzling their cheeks together. "How was visiting the others?"

"Sooo. Randy. What's this social norm thing about touching other ghost's tails? And doing so to a _mated_ ghost. _Honestly!_ "

"...I fucking hate them." Randy was grumbling and blushing as he let Danny go, flopping onto the couch to curl up and huff to himself. "To be fair, in the beginning, I wasn't even aware I was actually _doing_ it! I blame mate things!"

"You can't blame mate things when you did it before you two were mated," Andrew snorted, typing on his laptop where he was curled up in the armchair. "Months before, really."

"You know, they told me _all sorts_ of stories. Do you guys think you can tell me what's happening, in this picture?" The two blinked before looking at the picture that was shown, Andrew blushing brightly and Randy hiding his face in a pillow.

"Oh my god...I thought we destroyed all the pictures from that party..." Andrew muttered, trying to snatch at the phone.

"Now I have my own copies~" Danny easily flew out of his reach, his tail flicking with amusement.

"Ugh! It was _one_ party, okay, the ectonog was really strong that year- Randy! Help me get that stupid phone!" Randy only whined from his spot on the couch, looking like he wasn't going to be moving. "Wait...how many other pictures did she show you..."

"One year? Then what about this one?" Danny showed off another picture, giggling as he made Andrew chase him all around the lair. Andrew somehow blushed even more, whining.

"He started everything! I kept trying to escape!" Andrew was indeed chasing him all around the lair, Randy looking up at them with offense.

"Hey! You're the one that kissed me that one party!"

"The mistletoe was a good excuse!"

" _Cuties!_ " Danny laughed, tucking his phone away before he rushed to Randy, squirming until he was pressed between the man and the back of the couch. "You'll protect me, right?"

Seeing Andrew was ready to dive for the couch and wrestle the phone away, Randy was letting a white bubble form around them. "I'm too weak. Forgive me, cheri, but, really, you _know_ he was gonna find out about it eventually. Maybe. Probably." The youngest of them only giggled, curling up tightly at Randy's side and burrowing against him. He paused, getting an idea before pushing his head under the man's shirt.

Randy blinked, looking down at Danny with a raised eyebrow, more amused, than anything. Especially with Andrew sitting on top of the shield and waiting for it to break. "Danny, what are you doing, exactly, here?" It took a bit of wiggling, but Danny's head was soon poking out of the top of Randy's shirt, his tail coming out of the other end. The teen giggled and nuzzled against him, kissing his cheek. "...Daw...my adorable little kitten!" Randy cuddled the teen close, cooing over him and _maybe_ letting his concentration waver on the shield long enough for Andrew to slip through and land on top of them with a startled grunt. " _Adorable little kitten mine mine mine._ "

At the cooing, Danny only snuggled closer, purrs rumbling through him as his tail wrapped around Randy's legs. Randy seemed quite pleased, holding Danny close while shifting so he could tug Andrew down a little, and, yes, it was now snuggle time. "No- No. I am upset! I am supposed to be upset!"

"But I wuv you," Danny blinked up at him. Andrew sighed before flopping over on top of them, kissing Danny's cheek.

"Oui, oui, je t'aime aussi."


	32. Wrath of the Cuddle King

**Kit - Randy really loves fashion design and I really love World of WarCraft.**

 **Kas - You huge nerd.**

 **Kit - FOR THE ALLIANCE.**

* * *

"Frostbite! It's good to see you, again!" Danny touched down at the Far Frozen with a smile, his head tilted to Frostbite in respect.

"Ah, Great One!" Frostbite was scooping Danny up into a hug before setting him back down, looking rather pleased at seeing him. "It's been quite a while! How have things been with your life? Going well, I hope!"

"They have," Danny said with a grin. "I've started pursuing further education on the topic of ghosts and spirits."

"That sounds wonderful!" Frostbite smiled widely, walking with Danny. It was nice to see the teen looking so happy, and he always seemed a bit better off when in the Far Frozen. "In preparation for your future, I take it?" The ghost's tone was a bit softer, and more warm.

"Of course." Danny walked alongside Frostbite, letting him lead the way. "There's always more for me to learn."

"True, but you have learned a great deal in the time you have been in our world. Are things going well with the Ghostwriter? And have your ice powers evened out from what they once were?"

"Yes, things have been going much better, and I'm in much more control of my ice powers." As an example, he summoned a couple ice crystals.

"Very good!" Frostbite praised, giving a pat to the teen's back. "Great One...I think I have something that might be of use to your in the near future."

Danny blinked up at him, looking curious. "Really? What?" Frostbite gave a chuckle before he was guiding Danny a bit away from the main village, towards a cave not too far away.

"Last time I showed you this cave, it was when I was telling you about the past of our world, and showing you the Infimap. This time, I have something I wish to _give_ you." Tilting his head at the ghost, Danny let himself be guided along, choosing to not question anything.

It wasn't long until they reached the chamber with the Infimap, Frostbite leading him past it to a side tunnel that wound back deeper into the cave. It was a few minutes walk until the tunnel widened into a cavern, glowing runes scattered all along the walls with a sword resting on an icy pedestal in the middle. "This sword was crafted as a peace offering to the first King of the Spirit World. When control passed to Pariah, our treaty was broken, and the sword retrieved. It has been here, since, waiting for a _new_ King."

Danny only rose an eyebrow to Frostbite, looking the tiniest bit amused. "Currently, there _isn't_ a King."

"Well, not _technically_ yet," Frostbite chuckled, leading Danny a bit further into the room. "The sword was made of special energy. While it can be used by a powerful enough spirit, it's full potential can only be brought out by one with an ice core. A Spirit King with an ice core..." A warm smile at Danny. "There could be no better match."

"And...what are you saying?" Because technically speaking, he still wasn't King. He shouldn't be given... _this._

"You might not be crowned yet, Great One, but you _are_ still King of this world..." Frostbite looked to Danny. "You can choose to leave it here, if you wish, but I and the rest of my kind agree when we say we want you to have it."

Danny looked down to the sword. From what he'd already seen... "I think the sword would be safest at my side." Frostbite inclined his head, stepping aside for him to take it.

"I am sure it would." The teen moved towards the sword, watching it gleam almost... Huh. He gently took the sword, feeling a small...barely there click. "It suits you well, Great One." There seemed to be a quiet sound that brushed against Danny's mind, something similar to quiet chimes on a windy day, softly muted. "As you do it."

"So... What is known about the sword, exactly?" Because that was...an interesting sound.

"It was crafted _long_ ago, back when the Far Frozen had just come to be, I believe. It was made as a peace treaty, as a I said. An offering in exchange for a truce. The sword was made of raw, powerful energy, designed to channel a spirit's energy easily and efficiently. Make it more _powerful_. It was the greatest thing ever crafted by my race, made with the hope of being wielded by Kings."

"...I see. And none of your race have ever wielded the sword?" Frostbite shook his head, gesturing to the runes around the cavern.

"No one has ever had the power raw enough to wield it, so we placed it in here to keep it safe. The wards and runes keep out everyone without an ice core, or those with bad intentions. The pedestal, as well. If a spirit is not meant for the sword, well." A quiet chuckle. "Then you would not be holding it right now."

"What would happen, should I not be meant for it?" Danny was tilting his head and examining the sword this way and that.

"You'd be frozen against the far wall, most likely. I had a feeling, however, that nothing like that would happen."

"Lovely." Danny looked around, raising an eyebrow. "I don't suppose she has a sheath?" At the question, there was a shimmer from the sword before icy energy was wrapping around the blade and forming a sheath, keeping the tip covered safely.

"I believe she's answered the question for you," Frostbite laughed, looking far too amused. It seemed already the teen was getting attached to the sword. Danny gave a nod, glancing down to the sword with amusement.

"Don't suppose I can get a belt?" The gentle chime like sound was brushing against his mind again, seeming amused.

"I believe that one _I_ can help with," Frostbite chuckle, digging around through his pouch for a moment before pulling out a belt that was perfect suited to the large sword, a shimmering white-blue color. "I had hoped you would accept her, so I came prepared."

Danny nodded, taking the belt and attaching it to the sword. "It's perfect. Thank you, Frostbite."

"Of course." It was only a moment before the belt was on and the sword settled against his waist, the weight of it feeling...right. "As I said, it suits you."

"I believe the same. So, would you like to help me practice my ice powers?" Danny gave a smirk, looking amused.

"Of course," Frostbite chuckled. "Hopefully this time I won't have to worry _too_ much about getting my cape frozen."

The teen gave a laugh at that. "We'll see about that!"

::

"...So. You're wearing a sword. I mean, I might be losing it, but I'm _pretty_ sure you didn't have a sword when you left."

Danny smiled at Randy, kissing his cheek. "You'll never know." Randy rolled his eyes, flying around Danny for a moment as he inspected the sword, narrowing his eyes before giving a nod.

"Definitely a good one. I'm gonna assume Frostbite, since it's all...icy." Pausing, he kissed Danny's cheek back. "Welcome home, by the way."

"Apparently a sword meant for the 'Spirit King.'" Danny rolled his eyes, leaning against the man. "Certainly something." Andrew, who looked up at the two as they walked through to the main sitting room, gave a snort.

"You carrying a sword while wearing a _hazmat_ suit? Yes, that is certainly something." At Randy's look, Andrew only arched an eyebrow. "You were thinking it too."

"...Maybe."

"Anything else I wear always disappears when I change forms," Danny said, looking upset by the thought. "Trust me, I would have changed it a long time ago."

"Ah, _human_ clothing disappears," Randy pointed out, tugging at the gray scarf around Danny's neck. Something he wore in _both_ forms. "Ghost clothing, however..."

"...But the only ghost clothing forms with you when you form. It's not like I can get any."

"That is horrible sentence structure," Andrew muttered, Randy waving him off and dragging Danny along to one of the back rooms.

"That, my sweet, is where you would be wrong, actually. There _are_ some clothes that are made from certain kinds of fabrics. Fabrics that are made from things found in the Ghost Zone! Things that I happen to have and know how to make clothing out of."

"Wouldn't...we be able to find that type of stuff at the marketplace?"

"Fuck no, their fashion design sucks," Randy huffed, dragging Danny into a room before flying around and digging out various clothes, tossing them to rest on the nearby couch. All of them, as well, had just the barest hint of a glow to them. "Mine is far superior."

"When...did you have the time to make all of these?" Danny was grinning as he looked at the clothes, tilting his head at them.

"I get bored when you're at school all day," Randy shrugged, organizing the clothes into piles before flying around Danny again, almost absently checking his clothing size. "Did you know you're an inch shorter in ghost form, than you are in human form?"

Danny looked surprised at that, frowning. "...I am?" Randy nodded, kissing the teen's cheek and nuzzling against the spot.

"Mhm, it's not too surprising, though. Ghost's physical forms don't change very often, and since you got hit when you were fourteen... The portal's effects probably didn't help with your natural growth, either."

"Yeah... Vlad said something like that... I dunno." Danny tugged at his scarf. "He said something about growth hormones, but... I dunno." Randy nodded, pulling him into a hug and curling around him.

"I wouldn't be surprised, judging by how you are. I figure in the hospital he was at, the doctors probably gave him some, since your hair takes a lot longer to grow out, too. It's normal, everything considered. I wouldn't worry _too_ much about it. Plus, you're just so _huggable_." To prove the point, Randy scooped him up and nuzzled him closer. "Perfect little kitten."

Danny hummed at the name, and nuzzled back a tiny bit. "...What do you think about it?"

"I think it's your choice, and it's not a good _or_ bad one, just a choice. If you take them your growth will speed up a bit, so you'll probably grow a few more inches, like you should have. If not, you're still perfectly healthy, so it's just a choice." A pause. "Also your hair will grow a lot faster, if you want longer hair."

Danny leaned back against Randy. "...I might, then." Randy hummed, sitting down on the couch and bringing Danny with him.

"If you want, although maybe talk with Plasmius about it? He'd know most, considering everything. So, clothing. Do you _want_ something different, for your ghost side?" Danny pointed to a sleeveless black turtleneck with an interesting pattern on the front.

"How about that one?" Randy reached over to snag it, holding it up in front of Danny. It was a bit long, easily going down to Danny's thighs. The front had three white stripes on either side, almost in a rib-cage like effect.

"Ooh, yeah, I was messing around with designs, a bit, and this one came out kinda great."

Danny looked interested, taking the fabric between his fingers. "What's the back look like?"

"...Nothing." Randy gave a quiet cough, avoiding Danny's gaze. "Just...part of the white design thing. That's all."

The teen rose an eyebrow. "Can I _see_ it?" Randy lasted about half an minute before he was sighing deeply and handing the shirt over, hiding his face in the back of Danny's suit.

"I couldn't resist." Danny turned it over, looking at it. There was a long moment of silence before he was phasing his hazmat suit off and grabbing some leggings to go with it, leaving the room. Randy blinked, giggling a bit as he went back to organizing the clothing, and waiting for Danny to get back. When Danny came back, he was clinging tightly to Randy and speaking with a rush of how he loved it and the clothes felt so nice and it was _perfect._

"I'm glad you love it, then," Randy laughed, pulling Danny down to press fluttering kisses to him, keeping him close and nuzzling against him. Seeing the teen's bare arms, Randy gently took the left one and traced over the electrical scars that wrapped around it. "I have some gloves made, too, if you want them."

Danny gave a gasp, looking up at him with excitement. " _Can I?_ " Randy laughed, floating a few things over and pulling Danny more into his lap, wrapping around him.

"Yeah, yeah. Alright, I got a few different pairs and colors, so pick what you like."

Danny pointed to a pair of fingerless ice blue gloves. "I want those." Randy nodded and grabbed them, helping Danny slip them on. And maybe pressing a kiss to each palm before doing so. The teen giggled, looking down at them and flexing his fingers. "Do you have any with fingers?"

"I should, yeah." A few moments of digging around and Randy was tugging out a near identical pair that wasn't fingerless. "These work?"

"They're _perfect._ " Danny kissed the tip of his nose, looking satisfied. And, alright. He was allowed to change the future a _little._ Randy only hummed, returning the kiss with one to Danny's lips.

"I'm glad you think so."

"Almost as much as you."

"That, my sweet, was rude." Randy gave a little grin, rubbing circles at Danny's lower back. "You know, I should probably check those clothes over a little. Just to make sure they fit you _properly_ , and all..."

"You know, I think you're right... These leggings might be a bit tight." He pressed himself a bit closer to Randy, kissing at his chin. Randy hummed, shifting the teen so he was more in his lap, nipping at his neck.

"And you know, I think this turtleneck is a little _loose_ on you, why, it's just sliding down." A tug to the fabric, and another little bite to the neck. "I should probably fix that."

"Mm, maybe." Danny nuzzled against him. "Although the gloves are _perfect._ " Randy laughed, pressing more kisses.

"Just like _you_ , then, hm?"

"Less than you, though."

"Well, let's see if I can't convince you to change your mind a little..."


	33. Twilight

**Kit - Danny gets Edward AND Jacob. And these two versions have character devolopment!**

 **Kas - Edward was always better.**

 **Kit - ...We can't be friends anymore. Jacob was better before he turned into a douchebag in book 3 and 4.**

 **Kas - He made Edward look like a knight in shining armor.**

 **Kit - ...They were both dicks in the end. We'll leave it at that.**

* * *

"And you're sure you're going to be safe at this party, sweetie?" At Maddie's worrying, Randy was piping up with a reassuring smile, one of his legs lightly kicking from where he sat on the counter.

"If it helps, Mrs. Fenton, me and Andy are going with him, and it's just a local halloween party with some of his friends from college. A lot of his high school classmates are actually going, and I think it's one of them that's hosting it."

"Yeah, Paulina! The friend of the valedictorian," Danny said, raising an eyebrow to her. He was rather proud of his ghost costume - an _accurate_ ghost king. Fake crown made out of his ice powers included - as well as the sword Frostbite had given him.

Maddie gave a sigh, trying to style Danny's hair. "Fine, fine. I suppose that's not too bad. Does that mean it's here in town? Do we have this girl's address?"

Danny whined, swatting at her hand. " _Mooom!_ I've got it the way I like it!"

"How's that? A wreck?" That got a betrayed look from Danny, and a laugh out of Randy, who looked _wildly_ amused.

"Danny, your mom is amazing and perfect. And yeah, the party is here in town, and you probably have the address in an old copy of the Casper High phonebook, and all that."

Danny frowned, looking to them. "There's a Casper High phonebook?" Andrew was the one to rustle around the drawers for a moment before pulling a thin, laminated book out and setting it on the table, looking to Danny in amusement. "Why didn't I know about this?"

"Maybe because you don't often pay attention to things like this," Andrew pointed out, pausing and ruffling Danny's hair, destroying all of Maddie's work in the process. "Much better." The teen only groaned, rolling his eyes at the man.

"I'll fix it," Randy sighed, slipping off the counter and going over to Danny, slicking it back to the way he had it _before_ irritating people had started messing with it. "You know, you should have temp dyed your hair white. Would've been hilarious."

"I'm gonna keep that one a surprise," Danny said with a hum. "Come _on._ Hurry up and get your costumes on, we've gotta go!" At that, Andrew was looking over with narrowed eyes.

"You said I didn't have to wear a costume."

" _I_ specifically said it was a costume party." Andrew turned his glare to Randy, who smiled at him as he finished up Danny's hair back into it's spikes..

"I _might_ have lied when I said you didn't have to dress up. Whoops! Don't worry, though, I already have a costume all picked out for you. And a backup costume for when you tear the first one to shreds!"

" _Why_ would I tear the first one to shreds?" Andrew was tapping his foot, his eyes narrowing further. Randy only silently fixed Danny's own outfit, making sure his cloak was on straight, and everything fitted him fine. "Randy."

"You know what, we _are_ gonna be late. Me and Andy will go back and get ready and meet you here before you leave." Randy was snatching Andrew and dragging him to the front door, trying to avoid the question. Really, it was hardly _his_ fault if his first costume choice for Andrew was...slightly distasteful.

Danny sighed, shaking his head as the two left. He glanced to Maddie, before looking back at the door. "They're ghosts."

"Really?" Maddie seemed amused, moving to finish up the dinner she had been making. "I wouldn't have thought they'd go as _ghosts_." Danny only rose an eyebrow to her. "Oh, look, fudge." With that, she was shoving a slice - gently - into Danny's mouth and keeping him from talking. "It's the really, _really_ chewy kind, too."

" _Mooooom._ " Maddie only hummed happily as she went back to work, and, really. She was allowed to tease her kids, still, after all.

::

"Aaaannnndddyyyy! We're gonna be _late_!" Randy whined from where he was leaning against the bedroom door, pacing back and forth. Considering he was dressed as a tasteful werewolf - ears and tail included - there was probably some amusement in the action.

"Or we can just not go at all." Because really. He did _not_ want people to see him in this _ridiculous_ thing.

"But- But- But then we'd upset Danny!" And, hm, maybe Randy _shouldn't_ have made his human illusion so much like White Fang, since he was starting to slip into a _bit_ of the behavior already. "I know for a fact the costume I chose for you is tasteful enough for even _you_ to like it to some small degree."

"I'm not coming out." It probably would have been better if his hair was a bit longer... Boo. There was a loud whine from outside the door, following by a flop against it, as if someone had just sat down. "You can go to the party with Danny, if you really want to."

"No. I'm not going without you." Randy was back up and pacing around the door, tail almost looking to be wagging from all the moving. "You...can go without the costume, if you want. You really _don't_ have to dress up. Just alter your illusion to have the gray skin and it'd be fine."

Andrew sighed, pressing his forehead against the door and holding his arms close. "You _really_ want to see?"

"Only if _you_ want me to. You know me, Andy, I wouldn't do anything that would make you _really_ uncomfortable. If you don't want to wear it, or have me see you in it, that's fine. I get it." A small pause of silence. "Although I _do_ think you'd look rather sexy in it." Another pause, and the door was opening completely.

Randy blinked up at Andrew, who was, not too surprisingly, dressed as a 'vampire'. Nothing tacky, his outfit looking like something from the early 19th century, with tones of purple and white. He still looked like a teenager, what with the illusion in place, but he had altered it enough for the gray skin and his sharp teeth to show through. Randy _might_ have looked utterly _delighted_ as he nuzzled their cheeks together, purr lacing his words. " _Oo, my pretty little Priest, how sweet you look~_ "

Andrew looked startled for a moment before rolling his eyes and giving a small nuzzle back. " _Oui, oui, always yours, my darling wolf._ " He tugged on Randy's sleeve, leading him towards the front door. "Are we going to be going, then?"

" _Mhm, whatever you wish, my dear Priest,_ " Randy purred, following after Andrew, still nuzzling and curling against him. And maybe sneaking a few kisses in. Chuckling quietly, Andrew kissed at Randy's cheek a bit before teleporting them back to in front of the Fenton house. He let them in with no problem.

"Alright, alright, we're here." Randy was bouncing in after Andrew, seeing Danny before bouncing over to him and nuzzling at his cheek and yes. His pretty little mates. Pretty little mates that were all his. Danny rolled his eyes, letting himself be picked up by the man.

"Took you guys long enough. Did you break to pet the lions, or something?" Randy only hummed, nuzzling against the teen even more and looking delighted.

"No, no, just delayed a bit. Randy's fault, obviously," Andrew hummed, snatching a piece of fudge off the counter and munching on it, and, yes, Fenton fudge. Very nice. "I am somehow not surprised at _his_ outfit."

"Yeah, I'm really not, either." Giving a quiet huff, he looked to Randy. "Are you gonna set me down, anytime soon?" Randy looked upset at the thought, frowning as he slowly set Danny down. And then clung to him.

" _Mine._ "

"I was never _arguing_ against it." Maddie snickered at them, looking to be incredibly amused by something. Ghost possessiveness, indeed. Andrew only raised an eyebrow at her, deciding not to ask, because, really. He was trying to save what little sanity he had left.

"Shall we be going, then? We _are_ starting to run late, even by party standards." Randy was scooping Danny back into his arms, happily heading for the front door.

"Let's go! Onwards, peasants!" Danny pointed to the front door dramatically. Andrew rolled his eyes, waving goodbye at Maddie as he followed after them. As soon as he did the three were just out of sight in front of Paulina's house, Randy looking quite pleased with himself.

"Alright, alright, let's...'party', I suppose."

"WOO!"

::

"Quick. Randy. Did you bring that temp dye?" Randy blinked at the question, staring at Danny for a moment before slowly nodding his head, digging around in one of his pouches before pulling out a can of temporary spray-on dye. White, of course. Danny took his crown off and sprayed the dye on, shaking his head as best he could to get it to dry because _there was Paulina this was going to be hilarious._

He must have done a good job, since when Paulina reached them her eyes widened and she looked _stunned_. "Paulina Sanchez, I presume?"

"I- Ah- Uh...huh..." There- What- No. There was _no way in hell_ that Danny fucking _Phantom_ was at her costume party and dressed as a _king_. Danny gave a smirk, holding his hand out to her. It was a moment but Paulina hesitantly took the hand, Randy trying not to crack up laughing from where he was at Danny's side. Danny gave a grand bow, pressing a kiss to her knuckle.

"A pleasure."

"Ah..." He rose to standing back up straight, giving her a wide grin.

"You can call me Danny."

"A...ah..." Paulina looked to be understanding not a single thing of what was happening, Randy looking _delighted_ at Danny's cruelty. And maybe bouncing in a way that it looked like his fake wolf tail was giving a small wag. Danny ran a hand through his hair, taking some of the white off and showing it to her.

"It really works, huh?" Paulina looked from Danny, to the temp dye, back to Danny, to Randy who was waving cheerily at her, and then to the dye again. She then turned on her heel and quietly walked away because no. _No_. She was done with this bullshit. Danny laughed, finding an area with relatively few people and spraying the dye back on. "Dude. Dude. This is totally great. This is gonna be the best party ever."

"Well, I'm certainly glad _you_ think so," Randy laughed, helping get the back parts of the hair, wiping off the part that got on the skin. "And hey, look at it this way. It's even better because you get Edward _and_ Jacob. Only the better versions that have actual character development and aren't douches."

"Yeah. I'm Bella," the teen giggled, bouncing over to nuzzle against Andrew. "You having a good time, sweetie?"

"Well, I keep moving things around with my powers while others are distracted, and then see them question their reality, so, yes. I've having a good time." As he spoke, he moved a person's cup, watching them look confused and hesitantly pick it back up. "We should do this more often."

"Mmkay, I'm gonna go trick more people." Danny walked off, Andrew being able to hear a faint 'Dash Baxter?'

"He's having far too much fun with that," Andrew snorted, blinking as he felt Randy wrap around him and kiss at his neck. There was also a few mutterings and cooing comments that weren't exactly family-friendly. "Are those promises that you'll be keeping?" Andrew held his arms, smirking back at him.

"Of course, I do so adore keeping my promises to you," Randy purred, nipping at the tip of Andrew's ear before giving it a light lick. "You know, we should _probably_ go keep an eye on Danny...keep him from causing _too_ much trouble." Andrew gave a shudder, and a quiet huff.

"Ooor, we can tell him we'll be needing to leave a bit soon." Randy only hummed, nuzzling behind the ear while letting his fingertips rub at the younger's neck.

"But he's having so much _fun_ , darling, let's let him enjoy himself a _little_ longer, oui?"

"Ooh, but I never said he'd be leaving _with_ us." Randy hummed, seeming to think about the comment for a long few moments before nipping _very_ sharply at Andrew's ear tip.

"Fair point, but we can linger here a _bit_ longer, my dear Priest~" Andrew shivered, pulling on Randy's collar to tug him into a kiss.

"I suppose so." He barely got the words out before Randy was jerking him into the slightly darkened corner and pressing him up against the wall, jerking him back into a rougher, deeper kiss. Andrew gave a smirk, pressing back against him, and _maybe_ his knee was coming up a bit between Randy's legs.

There was a quiet moan lost in the kiss, Randy's hands clutching at Andrew's shirt before he was - reluctantly - pulling back enough to speak. "So, ah, what was that about leaving early?"

"I thought you wanted to stay around, darling." Andrew gave a quiet purr, starting to inch away from Randy. He barely got a few inches before Randy was pinning him back to the wall, keeping him from moving too far. Or at all.

"That, _dear_ , was before you used the collar." And, really, Andrew _had_ to have known what using the collar would do. And if he didn't, he sure as hell did now.

"And _you_ were using my ears against me. So, I believe that to be a fair trade." Randy only gave a vague hum, nuzzling behind the ear against before nibbling a bit on the tip once more, using his sharp teeth and still keeping Andrew pinned to the wall.

"I _suppose_..."

Andrew shivered again, pulling at Randy's shirt. "So- Ah- Will you be the one to tell Danny, then?"

"No, no, I'm sure we can spend a _bit_ longer socializing, and everything." One more sharp bite before he was letting Andrew go and kissing the tip of his nose, looking so very pleased with himself as he turned to go find Danny. Andrew watched him for a moment before sinking against the wall with a quiet whine. That was _incredibly_ cruel.

He was a bit proud of that.


	34. The Royal Douchebag

**Kit - Dan is a sassy sarcastic teenager and Prince is a bit uptight. Luckily Dan has Andrew to have the sass thrown back and Prince has Randy to help him chill. Get it- Get it? Chill? Cause- Cause yeah.**

* * *

"So, do _you_ know why he's still asleep?"

Randy glanced from Andrew, who had asked, and Danny, who was still curled up on the bed asleep. "No idea. He didn't seem to really _drink_ at parties, so it can't be that. And he seemed fine when he came home." And _very_ amused since Randy and Andrew had left a _bit_ earlier.

Flopping over onto the bed, Randy gently batted at his cheek, not getting any sort of reaction. Huffing, he tried again. Like he had been. For the past half hour. "Daaaannnyyy."

"Maybe...it's just all that time spent being social," Andrew weakly suggested as he sat down beside Danny on the bed. The teen was on his side, his legs curled up to his chest and his arms somewhat sprawled at his side as he looked to be ignorant to the world around him.

"We barely stayed until midnight, though, and Danny only a little after that," Randy pouted, absently rubbing little circles into Danny's palms. "It's already late enough in the morning that's it's getting to be near afternoon. It's late enough that _you're_ awake and coherent!"

"He also doesn't interact with that many people on a regular basis on that level," Andrew pointed out. Randy only looked from Andrew, to Danny, and then repeated the action a few times before raising an eyebrow and lightly clearing his throat.

"Oh, no! Run! It's a ghost attack!" The tone was completely convincing, and sounded very terrified. Not even a twitch from the teen.

"...Alright. We can worry, now." Randy whined, nudging at the teen again and trying to get him to show _some_ form of movement. Checking his eyes after a moment, he gave another, more worried whine.

"Why is he displaying coma-like symptoms?! Andy, why is he- Andy, I don't like this. Nooo, Danny, nooo." This was far too much stress to deal with out of _nowhere_.

Andrew looked to Randy, cautiously biting his lip as he stared down at Danny. "You don't think..."

"...No- _No_. There was nothing to even cause it! No messing with dangerous alchemic experiments, no crazy powerful time visions from nowhere- We were just at a halloween costume party and he was messing with people! There was nothing to cause _that_!"

"Are we... _sure_ he didn't have a time vision? He's had one or two in his sleep, before." Andrew ran a hand through Danny's hair, sighing.

"Wha- That's a _thing_?! What bullshit is that?!" Realizing he was starting to slightly panic, Randy took a deep, calming breath. "Alright... Alright. If it's possible he had one, it's possible the same thing happend. If his death truly is getting closer then that means it would be more likely for him to have stronger visions." A sigh, Randy running a hand through his hair. "Can we even go _in_ his...mind? Dreams? Sure, Nocturne can, and Danny, where his powers are so unique... You _might_ be able to, with the way your powers work."

"He said all he did was overshadow us. Maybe we can and we just don't know?" Randy shook his head, still checking over Danny.

"No...no, overshadowing doesn't work like that. With overshadowing you're taking over the physical aspects of the body, not anything like the mind. This is completely different...depending on the powers, I would assume it automatically adapts. With a ghost that was more about physical strength in powers, all that would happen was that they would have control of Danny's body. With you, and your powers about shaping reality and being mostly _mental_ , it might be enough for us to slide through." Andrew looked to him, not even breaking eye contact. This was far too serious.

"And you're certain?" Randy didn't break the contact, giving a sharp nod, looking absolutely certain.

"If it turns out he's just heavily sleeping, we'll see his dreams. If it doesn't work and we get forced out, there'll be no harm to any of us." Andrew gave a nod, holding his hand out to Randy.

"Then let's go. Before it somehow gets worse." Randy nodded and took his hand, the two disappearing into Danny's mind in a flash of power.

"What the fuck are _you two_ doing here?" At hearing the shocked tone, Randy looked up to see...someone who wasn't Danny- Or, at least, didn't very much look like him. Not with the flaming white hair and slightly green skin. Although the looked to be teen had a familiar gray scarf wrapped around his upper arm.

"That...is a very good question." A quick glance showed it was rather dark, and walls stretched out to form what looked to be a maze. "Sooo, I take it you're an emotion of Danny's, then?"

"You...could say that- No. Really. What are you doing _here?_ Like, in this area?" Because no one ever came to his area. It was- What?

"We have no idea. You- Or, er, Danny- No, still- Ugh. This is bullshit." Randy sighed as he moved to drag Andrew up, the man looking a touch dizzy. "Danny's not waking up, so we came in here to see if something was wrong. Judging by the fact we're _here_ , something _is_ wrong." Wait...flaming hair...

"No. Like-" The emotion growled, his fists balling at his sides in frustration. "You know what I mean!"

"Relax, Dan. I, at least, know what you mean," Andrew sighed, slightly rubbing his head as he moved to check the ghostly teen over. A lingering habit he still hadn't gotten over, but, really. It was an aspect of _Danny_. "I'm not sure why we appeared in your area first, or at all, judging by your reaction." Dan gestured to Andrew with exasperation as he stared at Randy.

"See?! _He_ gets it!" Randy only huffed and crossed his arms, looking slightly pouty as he grumbled under his breath. Andrew only rolled his eyes, pecking Dan on the cheek.

"You wouldn't happen to know what's going on here, would you, mon cher?"

Dan rolled his eyes, wiping off his cheek. "If I did, do you think I'd be so surprised?" Randy rolled his eyes, Andrew just snorting and pressing a kiss to Dan's _other_ cheek.

"Do you think you can help us find the next emotion, then? We'll have to go through all of them eventually, and hopefully one of them knows what's happening."

While Dan scrubbed at the other cheek, he turned and started to lead them through the maze. "Maybe Princey," he snorted.

"'Princey'?" Andrew raised an eyebrow, Randy only giggling at the name and flying after them. And maybe tackling Dan in a hug and clinging to him. Gently, of course. Though the emotion huffed, he did nothing to detach the man from him and only continued onwards.

"I'm gonna go out on a limb, here, and guess that that isn't the next emotion's real name- And what's with that, anyways? Shouldn't it be, like, Joy, Hate, Sadness, and all that- Although, we _did_ have emotions called White Fang and the Priest..."

"You know the kid, are you really that surprised?" Dan snorted, toting Randy along and rolling his eyes when he felt Andrew happily take his hand and lean into him. "You two are possessive."

"Yes, but mostly protective," Randy hummed, nuzzling his and the emotion's cheeks together. "You're so adorable! Cute tiny creature of darkness and destruction." Dan absently swatted at him, leading him further into the maze before coming to a sudden stop.

"This is it." Andrew and Randy looked at the area, seeing it looked near exactly the same as the rest of the maze they had been walking through.

"Ya know, we really shouldn't be surprised his mind is a _literal_ maze," Randy snorted, letting go of Dan before full out kissing him on the lips, lingering for a few seconds. "Merci, mon douce, for getting us this far."

"Though I am curious as to why you can't take us any further," Andrew said, raising an eyebrow.

Dan rolled his eyes. "If I would, I could, and I'm not really up for a demonstration." With that, Dan was gently swatting Randy away and heading back towards the direction they had come from. "Have fun doing whatever it is you're doing."

"We'll be sure to do so, mon cher." As soon as the emotion was out of sight, Randy was looking to Andrew, filled with determination.

"I have a new mission, Andy. I'm going to kiss _all_ the Dannys. All of them. I'll make sure of it." Andrew gave a quiet laugh, nuzzling against Randy and kissing at his cheek.

"Alright, if you're sure... But not if I do it first." With that, Andrew was rushing on ahead with laughter.

"Wha- Hey! No! That's cheating!" Randy was huffing as he flew after him, tackling Andrew and clinging to him before blinking at their surroundings. "So, uh, not just me who's noticing the walls look kind of...made of ice, and all that, yeah?"

"No, no, not just you," Andrew assured, looking around curiously. It seemed there were light trails of snow all along the floor, some of it gathering into piles in the corners.

"Andrew. Randy. I'm surprised to see you two here." There was a lilt that the two never really heard, in Danny's voice. The figure they saw, too, was something they didn't really see from _Danny_. Randy was in front of him at once, white gleam to his eyes as he gave a short bow.

"Your Majesty. Although if I were to assume, with your uncrowned state, it would still be 'Your Highness', oui?" Randy's tone was utterly in deference to the other, complete loyalty shining in his eyes.

"Either would work, seeing as quite a few already see me as King." The emotion gave him a small nod, a way of telling him to rise. Randy did so, full attention utterly locked on the new emotion, Andrew rolling his eyes in slight amusement.

"You would be Prince, then, since 'Princey' doesn't much seem like something you would be called." Plus Dan was...well, a bit like a more sarcastic Randy.

"Ice Prince is my full name. Nice to finally be able to properly greet the two of you." Prince bowed to Andrew with a bit of a smirk, then to Randy.

"The same to you. It's easy to guess what role you play, among the emotions," Andrew chuckled, inclining his head a small amount. "I don't suppose you'd know any of what's going on here, would you?"

"A bit, here and there. There was...a particularly strong time vision, tied to him, therefore it caused a bit of a 'shock' to his system, including...us. Hence, the barriers." Andrew frowned at that, head tilting.

"Barriers? Is that why Dan couldn't lead us further?" Dan... _had_ said something about not wanting to do a 'demonstration', so it would make sense. Randy, meanwhile, near _bristled_ at the thought of Danny's death fear harming him.

"Yes. That is exactly why. There are barriers, keeping each emotion away from the others' areas."

"I suppose that makes some sense...do you happen to know what the time vision was about?" A glance to Randy, who was now twitching and looking ready to snap at the nearest sound. "Also, do you happen to have a way to calm _him_ down." Really, now. He knew Randy had the whole 'knight' thing happening, but, _really_.

"For your first question, no, he seems to have blocked it from- Well, from us. And for the second one..." He gave a look to Randy, and a shake of his head. "I'm afraid not."

"Must not have been a very happy vision, then," Andrew sighed, snagging Randy by his collar and giving it a sharp tug. "Randall." Seeing he had the ghost's full and complete attention, he gave a nod. "Focus, love."

"Yes, yes, okay, completely focused. Totally." Prince rolled his eyes at the two, looking amused as he kissed their cheeks.

"Come on, then, you two. Let's get you home." Randy hummed as he happily followed behind Prince, Andrew nodding and glancing around the maze again.

"So I suppose the maze changes depending on the emotion we're near, yes? With Dan, it was more darkness, and yourself, well..." It looked like the Far Frozen, and Prince certainly matched, looking every inch the Ice Prince he was. The only strange thing was the gray scarf that he had tied around his waist and sword, instead of a belt.

"That would be exactly it," he hummed, looking pleased. "I'm glad you noticed. Some won't be as obvious a change, of course." Andrew nodded, studying the emotion again. Whereas with Randy and him the emotions were a bit more traditional, Danny's were...something.

"So I suppose you're the more 'kingly' part of him? Especially since your 'knight' here is watching your every step for danger-"

"Hey! I'm not _that_ bad-" At the sharp look, Randy gave a huff, very clearly sulking. "Alright, so I'm basically an overprotective guard dog. _Still_."

"I am. You've seen me when I've been the dominant emotion, before. Timekeeper and I usually work together." At Randy, he only smiled and scratched behind his ear. "I can't say there's any harm in that, pet." Randy gave a delighted little purr, looking utterly delighted and smitten as he leaned into the touch. Andrew only raised an eyebrow, looking _vastly_ amused.

"I suppose we have seen you before." 'Pet', huh. Well, it wasn't _too_ much of a surprise that this was the version of Danny that adored using that nickname for Randy. "Probably even more of you, in the future." A moment of trailing silence, Andrew speaking up hesitantly. "That...that vision about the cracks in Pariah's sarcophagus..."

"What about it," Prince hummed, his grin starting to fall.

"The vision Danny had about...what will happen a year from now... The two are connected, aren't they?" Because Danny was _stubborn_ , and it would take a lot to do him in. And a Pariah that couldn't be locked away...

"...I would assume so, yes." Leading them on, the emotion sighed before stopping. "This is as far as I may go." Andrew nodded, not too surprised when Randy was nuzzling at Prince's cheek before tugging him into a deep, loving kiss. Prince hummed happily, pressing back into it before pulling away. "You two are on a job, are you not?"

"Oui, oui, but we can still worry about you," Randy smiled, nuzzling at Prince's cheek again before kissing the tip of his nose. "Je t'aime, mon douce roi."

"Je t'aime aussi, mon cheri chevalier." Prince leaned against Randy for a moment before kissing Andrew's cheek. "And you as well, my angelic Prince." Andrew rolled his eyes, returning the kiss before tugging Randy along.

"Oui, oui, je t'aime aussi." Shaking his head, Andrew seemed rather amused. "See you again soon, then, Prince." For now, however...they had the other emotions to go through.

"Indeed."


	35. Love REALLY Sucks

**Kit - Love is...something.**

 **Kas - We all need a little love.**

 **Kit - Uh huh.**

* * *

"Andy...it's not just me, right? The walls seem...narrower." It had been a rough ten minutes since they had left Prince's area and the snow and ice was long gone, faded back to dark, near black, maze walls.

"Careful, Randy," Andrew said in a dead voice. "The walls are closing in." Randy blinked before narrowing his eyes at Andrew, poking his side. And maybe trying not to laugh, because, really.

"Quit it."

"Quit what? The walls are closing in and we're all going to die tragic horrible deaths."

"Ha, ha, ha. You're _so_ funny, I almost forgot to laugh, there." There was a long moment of silence before Randy was being tackled to the ground, and clung to tightly. "...So, I'm gonna _guess_ that wasn't you. I mean, if you're scared of the dark, you could have just held my hand, or something."

" _I_ am still standing, thank you." The form around Randy wasn't glowing the tiniest bit, but it was easy to tell it was jittering. From paranoia, or something else, they weren't quite sure. Sitting up carefully, Randy was pulling the figure away just enough to see that it was a fourteen-year-old Danny, one who was shaking fiercely and wearing layers of loose clothing, hood drawn up over his face and scarf wrapped around him enough times to cover his mouth.

"Well, I think we found the next emotion." Letting said emotion wrap back around him, Randy was returning the hug tightly, lightly nuzzling the top of the head. "Are you alright, darling?"

"Sh- Shocks, and dark and no light and I don't- I don't know- it _hurt._ " The emotion was curled into as small a ball as possible, looking up to Andrew pathetically. Shifting around, Randy moved to lean against one of the maze walls, tugging Andrew down to sit next to them.

"I know, kitten, I know. It seems while you were asleep, you had a pretty bad time vision. Enough to shock you and have these 'barriers' going up. We're here to fix that, and get everything back to normal." Randy's voice was as soothing as he could make it, hand running down the emotion's back and rubbing light circles across the spine. "Do you want to tell us which emotion you are?"

"F- Fear." Fear seemed to relax a tiny bit in Randy's hold, still tucked underneath his chin.

Andrew took the emotion's hand in his own, rubbing small circles into it with his thumb. "Well, you have nothing _to_ fear, seeing as Randy and I are here."

"Why _Andrew_. Did you just make a _pun_?" Randy 'gasped', keeping his voice quiet for Fear's sake. A pun while rhyming, too...Randy was not going to admit that he was a touch impressed.

"Me? Ridiculous. You're imagining things." Shaking his head, Randy shifted until he was in Andrew's lap, looking quite happy with the new position as he squirmed until Fear was safely pressed and curled up against the two of them. Andrew ran a hand through the emotion's hair, a thrumming sound going through him. "Feeling better?"

"...A little," Fear relented. Randy seemed quite pleased at the fact, nuzzling at Fear's cheek gently, and curling around him a little more.

"Would you like us to stay a little while, with you? It's not as if we're _exactly_ on a time limit." Not really, at least. Besides...tiny scared Danny. They couldn't _not_ stay. Fear gave a nod, curled up in a tight ball.

" _Please don't leave._ " Andrew smiled softly, running a hand through the emotion's hair again, and kissing his forehead softly and gently.

"We won't. We promise."

"We'll be here for as long as you want."

::

With Fear tucked away asleep in his area of the maze, Andrew and Randy continued on. If they just followed this wall... Everything seemed to be going in a bit of a circle, so that made this easier. At least, until a ghostly Danny was flitting around them like a humming bird. "Andy! Randy! Are you two okay? Are you hurt? What are you doing here? Did anything happen?"

It was a few quiet moments of watching the teen fly around them before Randy was trapping him to his chest with a smooth motion, nuzzling at his cheek. "We're fine, mon douce. No, we're not hurt. We're here because there's been a little issue with one of your time visions, but we're on the case. And yes, some things happened, mostly with shocks and barriers so I'd try to stay on _your_ side of the maze, for now."

"Hm? Oh, no, don't worry, my area of the maze is fairly large- I should take you to the other side. You might get lost, or trapped, or-" Andrew was quietly covering the emotion's mouth, nodding after a moment.

"We'll be fine, mon cher, although having you with us will certainly help things. Now, would you be so kind as to tell us which emotion you are?" Certainly one of the more 'ghostly' ones, considering the teen looked exactly like he had when he had first become half-ghost. Although the gray scarf around his neck...was tied like... A quick glance to Randy showed he, too, had recognized the mock design of a hangman's noose.

"Hm? Oh, Obsessi- And you're _sure_ you two are alright?" The emotion was cupping Andrew's cheeks, staring at him seriously. Andrew only stared back for a moment before leaning forward enough to snag a quick kiss, nodding with a bit of a smile.

"We're sure, mon cher." Randy, meanwhile, was lightly fingering the gray scarf on _Obsession's_ neck, and, secrets, huh... Although it seemed he and Andrew came a close second. Obsession gave a nod and a smile, taking their hands and guiding them down the hall.

"Come on, it's this way." Randy took the moment to look around the area, not too surprised to see that it looked...complicated. There seemed to be dozens of split-offs, dead ends, and turn arounds that would have someone lost for quite a long time... A good thing Obsession showed up when he did. "Ah- No- Don't look that way," Obsession said, tugging Randy further along and looking the slightest bit panicked.

"Alright, I won't look if you don't want me to," Randy hummed soothingly, slowing the pace enough to press a kiss to Obsession's cheek. "I can't imagine this has been too fun a day for you all. Would it help if I told you embarrassing stories of Andy when he was on a mission and lost his glasses?"

"Wait- What?!" Andrew pouted to Randy, looking betrayed.

Obsession gave a small laugh, continuing to lead the two through the maze. "I might like that."

"It was _great_. Okay, so, full Priest of Death mode, yeah? He was about sixteen at the time, if I'm not mistaken. Which I never am. But, okay, full out terrifying mode, making demands and threats and everyone around was _terrified_. And then when he was playing with one of his knives and pacing around the area, he walked full out straight into a _wall_. I don't mean the doorway, I mean, two feet away from the arch, straight dead center into the _wall_ -"

" _Randall!_ " Andrew was blushing furiously as he glared at Randy. "That did _not_ happen!"

Giggling, Obsession kissed Andrew's cheek lightly. "Don't worry, mon ange. Your secrets are safe with me." Randy gave a small smile, tugging Obsession over and hugging him tightly.

"Just like all of _your_ secrets will _always_ be safe with us, oui?"

"...Yeah." The emotion leaned into the hug with a smile. "Yeah, they are." Randy hugged the teen closer, full out carrying him at this point as he walked where directed. It was a few moments before he was speaking quietly, phrasing his words as more of a question.

"Just like a few of them might be with your parents." Because Danny...really _did_ need to tell his parents his secret. Before the year was out...before... Before he changed in a way that they would never _truly_ understand. There was a long pause before Obsession was slowly nodding.

"Yeah. Like that... They already know you're ghosts." At that, Andrew was looking startled, and, wow, no, had very much not been expecting that. Randy only rolled his eyes, seeming a touch amused.

"You know what? That doesn't even surprise me. It's not like we're completely _subtle_ about things, all the time. 'Sides, they are kind of experts on ghost stuff, and all."

"I- He told them." Ooh, that would make even more sense.

"When was this?!" Andrew threw his hands up in exasperation, sounding _dramatically_ upset, instead of actually hurt. "Why was I not aware of cliches going on behind my back?!"

"When you left to get your costumes for the party," the emotion hummed, settling down in Randy's arms.

"Ooh, that _does_ make sense," Randy nodded, bumping into Andrew and nuzzling at his cheek sweetly, because, really. Andrew was just upset he hadn't gotten to dramatically reveal himself.

"Yeah." It was a long few minutes of walking before Obsession finally told them to stop. "This is where my area ends." Randy nodded, setting the teen down before giving him a sweet, gentle kiss to the lips, keeping it light and adoring.

"We'll be fine until we meet the next emotion, promise. But, _do_ consider telling your parents, alright? We won't make you, but we think it's a good idea. So think about it?"

Obsession nodded, giving a smile. "I know. He knows. It's why he's been telling them more and more... Building up to it."

"Perfect." Randy hummed, nuzzling at Obsession's cheek and giving a small wink. "I mean, the information, too, but I mostly meant you~" Andrew hummed as he nuzzled at the other cheek before he and Randy both turned to kiss the emotion's cheeks.

Obsession blushed brightly before whining and pouting about how that wasn't fair! As he headed back for his part of the maze, Randy gave a happy wave. "Remind me to tell you about the time Andy walked straight off a building top because he was too busy reading a book!"

"I did _not!_ " It was a few moments of walking, the maze back to it's default state, before Randy was speaking quietly.

"Did you know his obsession is actually secrets?"

"I...can't say I'm surprised," Andrew said with a sigh. Randy leaned up against him, nuzzling their cheeks together lightly and giving a small smile.

"Yeah, but...he's getting better. From how he was when _I_ first met him? He's getting...much, much better."

"Very much so," Andrew agreed, lightly kissing Randy's cheek. Randy gave a little purring hum at the action, pausing and narrowing his eyes at the maze walls around them.

"Are the walls turning... _pink_?" There were also little piles of pillows _everywhere_ , most of them shaped like hearts and other cliche little Valentine symbols. "Well. I think I have an idea on what this emotion is going to be."

" _Raaannddyyyy!_ " The man was tackled to a pillow, a human Danny wrapped tightly around him and purring and nuzzling against him. Randy didn't seem nearly as startled as he might have been, only wrapping his arms around the other and trying not to laugh.

"Nice to see you as well, then. I take it you're one of the more _sappy_ emotions." Well, he had at least been tackled onto a pillow. That was good!

"Mine mine mine, Andy!" The emotion was up in a moment and wrapping his arms around Andrew, snuggling close and looking about fifteen. The same age as when he'd first met Andrew.

"Aw, that's adorable." Randy pulled himself up, looking heavily amused. "He's the same age he is when he fell in love with you! Aw, it's like my version of Love." Because, really now. Really. This one was obvious.

"You're safe, and you're _here_ and-" The rest of what he would have said was cut off by delighted squeals.

"Aw...he's _adorable_!" Randy cooed, sounding delighted himself. He would have been lying if he said he wasn't looking forward to this one a _little_.

Andrew sighed, running a hand through Love's hair. "Yes, yes, we're here."

"I'm so happy cause you're here and you're both perfect and the best and so sweet and the only reason I'm still alive and-" Ow. Ow- Ow, ow, ow, ow. Alright. The three were now bubbled and Randy was clinging to Love with all the ferocity of an obsessed ghost. No- Just- _Must protect mate._ "Randy?" Love was looking up at him, clinging back, his cheeks slightly flushed.

"No, no, it's fine, I just- I just need to cling for a moment." 'Only reason still alive'. That- He knew Danny went through a lot- A _hell_ of a lot more than he should have, but, still...to have it phrased so _bluntly_. "Or for forever. Whatever works."

Andrew was just the tiniest bit startled because alright, this bubble was far smaller than usual. "Randy? Are you okay?"

"...Maybe." It was a struggle but Randy relaxed enough to at _least_ make the bubble a bit bigger. And maybe cuddle up to Andrew while clinging to Love even more. "Just...clinging, for a bit." Andrew sighed, tugging Randy into his lap and running a hand through the man's hair.

"It's alright." Randy gave a quiet hum, relaxing against the two, still nuzzling against Love because tiny precious mate.

"I'm not _that_ bad, ya know. Besides, you should be used to my random hug attacks." Although bubbling them was a _tiny_ bit startling worthy. He usually gave warning, since none of them liked being in confined spaces without at least being _warned_ about it.

Andrew rolled his eyes before taking his coat off and setting it over the two of them. "Whatever you say, darling." Love looked a bit startled before smiling and snuggling down in the coat, nuzzling at Randy's neck.

At the action, Randy was giving a little purr and settling down against the two, looking much better. "So, ah, Love. You wouldn't mind if we stayed with you for a bit, would ya?" Because _Love_.

"That would be _perfect._ " At the word, there was a tiny bit of smugness, the emotion nipping at Randy's neck. That action got a quiet little moan, Randy squirming at the feeling and ooh that felt so _nice_. Love gave a soft purr, nuzzling closer to Randy. "I'm sorry you two had to go through all this. I can probably help you... _relax._ " At the nuzzling and pressure on his neck, Randy was a mess of purring and squirming and making a few more quiet noises.

Andrew cleared his throat, raising an eyebrow at them. "Maybe we should save this for later?" Love pouted up at him, looking near _heartbroken._ Andrew only gestured to Randy, who was a dazed little purring mess pressed up against Love as close as possible. "We _are_ on a rather important job, here." Love sighed, kissing at the tip of Randy's nose.

"Fine. For now." Randy was happily dragging Love into a proper kiss, nipping at his bottom lip with a little purr. Love gave Andrew a smirk, pressing back into the kiss and licking at Randy's lip. Andrew rolled his eyes, trying to be stern but coming off as more amused.

"You two are something." Well...he supposed they could linger here for a _little_ longer.


	36. Take A Chill Pill, Bro

Kit - Kas is going to the movies with a friend, so I'm taking over the uploading of the chapters all on my own. Muha ha ha!

* * *

 **Chapter Thirty-Six**

 **::**

"So, I mean, can't we go back to Love and stay for a _little_ longer?" Randy's clothes and hair were completely ruffled and a _wreck_ , the ghost still slightly blushing. "Like, I mean, we have to make sure he's okay!"

"Oh, trust me, you did that _quite_ enough," Andrew said with a huff, physically dragging Randy to the next area. Randy pouted, shifting and squirming enough to hug Andrew.

"Aw, I'm sorry. Did we make you feel neglected?" It was more of an absent realization that the maze walls were changing from their default state again. There were also small crayon drawings that dotted the lower parts of the walls, most of them themed around stars and rocket ships. Andrew only rolled his eyes, continuing through the maze... Interesting.

"Just come on." He led Randy through the maze until a small body was leaping at their feet.

"Andy! Randy!" The two blinked down at the small seven-year-old that was in scuffed up overalls, gray scarf tied around his ankle. Randy slowly looked up to Andrew, speaking quietly.

"I feel guilt. Just...so much guilt." Andrew looked all too satisfied with himself as he bent down towards the emotion.

"Oui, oui, bonjour, mon petit. And how are you?"

"I'm okay. The shocks were bad, but you're here, so it's super!" Andrew gave a little coo, picking the child up gently and cuddling him close, looking quite delighted.

"Our mate's mind is evil," Randy muttered, gently patting the small child's head. Really, having the seven-year-old right next to _Love_. This place was very dangerous for wandering mates.

"But he's _so adorable,_ " Andrew cooed, holding the child close.

The emotion gave a giggle, hugging Andrew tightly around the neck. "Yeah, but you're the cuteriestestiest. And- And Randy's the cuterestiesterest!" Randy blinked at that, narrowing his eyes, and, huh...he was a tad bit cuter than Andrew... He was wonderfully alright with that.

"Alright, then, mon petit. Which one are you then, huh?" And this one really _was_ adorable. And he had freckles! Andrew seemed to have noticed the freckles as well, since he placed a peck of a kiss to a patch of them.

"Innocence." The child leaned out towards Randy to give him a sloppy kiss on the cheek. "Mine."

"Aw..." Randy was hugging the child - who was still in Andrew's arms - and returning the kiss with one to his own cheek. "You're so _adorable_ , mon petit!" Innocence giggled and nuzzled against them with a hum.

"So, you guys are trying to get through the maze, right?"

Andrew chuckled, running a hand through his hair. "That would be right, mon petit. Do you know the way to the next area, then?"

"Uh huh! That way!" Randy cooed, nuzzling back against Innocence as they continued on through the maze, more drawings coating the entire area. Along the upper parts of the walls and ceiling there were thousands of glow-in-the-dark stars, like the kind you would find in a store. "Do you like 'em? I put 'em up myself." Innocence was staring up at the ceiling with a grin, laying his head on Andrew's shoulder.

"They're _perfect,_ mon petit."

"Just like you," Randy grinned, pecking Innocence on the cheek again. Adorabley itty bitty mate. When Andrew kissed at his other cheek, the child laughed and nuzzled against them.

"Yes. Oh! Oh! Stop!" Andrew did so, raising an eyebrow while Randy blinked down at them, and, wait, why were they stopping. Innocence looked up at them. "We're here."

"...Ow..." Randy gently took the emotion from Andrew's arms, clinging to him tightly and tucking him under his chin. "Andy my heart hurts." Innocence's room was so _small_. Andrew sighed, nuzzling against them.

"I know." He ran a hand through Innocence's hair before giving a small nod to Randy. They needed to keep moving... Randy nodded, gently setting the small child down before pausing and rustling through Andrew's pockets. A moment later and he was pulling a cookie out and handing it to Innocence.

"So, there _probably_ won't be any negative side-effects from this, besides, it's a Riter cookie. They might as well be magical, at this point."

Andrew rolled his eyes with a huff. " _Honestly._ "

"Yeah, yeah, like you weren't thinking the same," Randy rolled his eyes eyes, nudging Innocence back into the room. "We'll see you again, alright, mon petit?"

Innocence grinned as he took a bite of the cookie, speaking around it. "Promise?"

"Promise." The child held his pinkie out to the two of them, trying to hold back giggles. Randy rolled his eyes as he held his own pinkie out, dragging Andrew down to do the same. The two wrapped their pinkies around Innocence's as best as they could. The emotion giggled and kissed at their cheeks, before running back off to a different part of his maze. "I want to kidnap him and keep him for forever. I want to keep all of them."

Andrew sighed and nudged Randy along. "I know, mon chevalier. I know. Come on, then. There must only be a couple more. And think about it this way. You _do_ get to keep all of them."

"... _True_ ," Randy nodded, letting himself be nudged along down the maze, back in it's default state. "So, ah, Andy...did you...notice the magazines that Love had hidden under all those pillows?"

"I'm surprised _you_ did." Andrew sighed, leaning back against Randy. "We're going to need to talk about this, aren't we?" Randy supported the other's weight, sighing himself.

"We really should have seen this coming, with how he is..." Honestly. It took seeing _wedding_ magazines to really get it. They weren't the best at this, really.

"Maybe he was trying to wait until..." Andrew shook his head. "Come on, we can be given some slack. We've never really had _that_ in our sights."

"Still...I feel like we should have at least had an _inkling_ of an idea," Randy grumbled, noticing the maze walls starting to stretch out again, the colors muting to feel a little more calm and relaxed. There were also scattered books and piles of pillows everywhere. "And yeah, we're gonna be talking about it a bit more, later."

"Like I said, maybe he was trying to wait."

"Trying to wait on what." There was a version of Danny that...was completely unique. One eye blue, and the other his ghostly green, while white streaks ran through his black hair. His skin was more tan than his human paleness, but not as much as in his ghost form. He wore his typical tee-shirt with a long-sleeved black shirt underneath, scarf wrapped around his neck and icy blue gloves covering his hands. His jeans were skinny and black, leaving him just enough room to maneuver. The emotion himself was reclining against one of the pillows, his nose stuck in a book.

"...Huh." Randy flew over to the emotion, plopping down on the pillows and settling against him with a little sigh. "Nothing much important at the moment, I think. You doing okay, though?" This emotion seemed to be one of the more relaxed ones, and a mix between Danny's ghostly and human sides.

"I'm fine." The emotion shifted and moved until his head was resting on Randy's stomach. "How are you two?"

"A bit worried about _you_ , but overall, we're perfectly fine," Randy hummed, running a hand through the teen's hair, scratching at the scalp a bit. "Which emotion are you, then?"

"Mm, Calm." The emotion was quietly humming before giving a smile to Andrew. "And you? How are you, right now?"

"Perfectly fine, mon cher." Andrew flew over and settled on Calm's other side, kissing his cheek softly before settling against him. "Just a bit of a long day, is all. Traversing through emotions is a bit exhausting, after all."

"Yeah, I would guess. You have one more left, I'm pretty sure." Calm ran a hand through Andrew's hair as he set his book down, giving the two a smile. "I'm sorry you're going through all of this."

"Well, it's not too bad," Randy pointed out, kissing at Calm's neck and relaxing against him. "After all, we get to learn more about you, and that's a pretty nice thing."

"Although a warning would have been nice," Andrew snorted, relaxing at the hand through his hair and sighing contently.

"You mean like the warning you two gave?" Calm rose an eyebrow as he shifted a tiny bit, pulling Andrew to lay down beside him and rest his head on Randy's chest.

"You make a point," Randy snorted, scratching at Calm's scalp and settling down, a sense of relaxation and, well, 'calm' filling him. He attributed that to the area they were in. "So, any mind-shattering revelations _you_ have to tell us?"

"Nothing that you can't already see." Setting his book off to the side, Calm wrapped an arm around Andrew's waist to pull him closer, and the other around Randy's stomach a bit awkwardly.

"Mhm," Andrew curled up to Calm and nuzzled against him, settling down a bit more. "As long as you're alright."

"Like I said, I'm fine." He gave a soft purr as he kissed Andrew's forehead then nuzzled at Randy's stomach.

"So, do you know about the whole time vision, shock to the system, barrier thrown up, thing?" Randy quietly asked, playing with the teen's hair, and curling around the two. Calm...seemed rather like Danny on a quiet day.

"A bit, yeah. Timekeeper will know the most. It's fine, since I don't leave my area very much either way."

"I wouldn't either, considering all these pillows," Randy snorted, looking amused at seeing Andrew was a purring pile of happy ghost cuddled up to Calm. "You know, he didn't used to purr _ever_ until you showed up."

"Yeah. I guess he's just finally gotten...comfortable, I guess. Being all locked up alone in Vidya? I made it a bit of my own mission."

"Oh, speaking of that!" Randy cupped Calm's cheeks before drawing him into a long, lengthy kiss, the action completely familiar and loving. "Love you~" Calm looked surprised for a moment before smiling and leaning his forehead against Randy's.

"Love you, too." As he spoke, he scratched lightly at Andrew's scalp, tugging him closer. Andrew purred a bit louder, kissing under Calm's chin.

"Well, maybe we better stay here and relax with you a little bit," Randy chuckled, sinking down on the pillows a bit more. "These pillows are so comfy~"

"It sounds like you need a moment to relax. And not _Love's_ version of relaxing," Calm said with a snort. Randy chuckled at that, kissing at Calm's cheek again.

"Sounds great." Timekeeper, huh... Well, he'd definitely be the one to ask about the time vision, and why this had happened to Danny. Still, resting a bit until then didn't sound so bad. "Go for the ears, I'll get the neck."

Calm rolled his eyes, continuing to scratch at his scalp. "You're so cruel." And whoops, was his hand wandering towards Andrew's ear?

"Oh, as if you're not," Randy snorted, scratching at the back of Andrew's neck and kissing Calm's cheek.

"We're all cruel," Andrew managed to mumble out, words trailing off into sharp, heavy purrs as he curled up to the two of them with delight.

"Yeah, but you love us." Calm passed the kiss to Andrew's cheek, nuzzling against him.

"Mhm..."


	37. Magazines Since He Was FIFTEEN

Kit - I really kind of love this chapter, and Timekeeper Danny is wonderful. And a mini Clockwork, pretty much.

* * *

 **Chapter Thirty-Seven**

 **::**

"Well, considering your name is Timekeeper, I'm not too surprised to find this place looks like the Citadel."

"Mhm." Timekeeper was focused completely on the time mirrors in front of him. When Andrew looked at them, they were...blank. Randy only waved him off, giving a smile.

"It's a timekeeper thing, only those with time powers can see images on the mirrors." At Andrew's look, Randy gave a shrug. "I explored a lot, ran into Clockwork a time or two. Give him a few moments to sort it out, he'll notice we're here."

Andrew rose an eyebrow. "He looks like me when I'm writing."

"Yeah, that was a lie. I'm thinking of ways to snap him out of it _without_ startling him."

"Constantly yammering on is one way to do it." Randy snorted at the dry words - truly, this teen was Clockwork's song - before moving to fly around Timekeeper a few times, hovering beside him.

"I suppose. So, if the time vision was _this_ much of a shock, I'm assuming it was shoved away into some dark corner?"

"Yes, and I'm trying to bring it back- I _can't._ " Timekeeper gave a quiet growl as he shook his head. "The sword, that's what brought forth the time vision. It was a bit of a delayed reaction, but... He saw the exact way and time he was going to die."

Andrew frowned at that, speaking up as Randy quietly shook his head. "I thought he already knew when he was going to die."

Timekeeper shook his head again. "No, no. He saw himself waking up after forming. That's how he knew he'd die soon and be the King. But he wasn't sure on how it would happen. That's why he's trying to lock this away."

"I don't blame him," Randy quietly mumbled, glancing back to the time mirrors with a rather upset expression. "No one wants to know how they're going to die..." Flying over, Randy gave Timekeeper a light hug, kissing his cheek softly. "So, know a way to wake you up, then?" The emotion was definilty a ghostly one, and looked near exactly like Clockwork, with the exception of his cloak being an icy blue, and his eyes the same color. Timekeeper waved him off with a sigh, his other hand flicking and his eyes completely blue.

"I would take that as a 'no but we can figure something out,' then." Andrew sighed as he slowly tugged Timekeeper to sit. Randy was helping as well, sitting down with Timekeeper in his lap, rubbing at his back.

"This has probably been most stressful on you, considering the time powers, and all. You doing alright?"

"I'm probably doing about as well as Fear, or Dan, or Obsession." Timekeeper sighed, still staring up at the mirrors. Though he did lean against Randy a bit.

"So pretty fucking poorly," Randy snorted, dragging the hood of the cloak over Timekeeper's head, blocking his sight. "How about a few minutes of _not_ giving yourself a headache? Danny's time powers _should_ still be dormant, so all of this is probably putting a major strain on _you_." The emotion shook his head.

"No. It's fine. We've dealt with this. He just needs it brought to the surface. He needs to _know._ He needs to know _everything._ "

Andrew shook his head, leaning against them. "Maybe...he doesn't need to know this? He deserves that much, don't you think?"

" _None_ of you need to know something like this," Randy sighed quietly, tucking Timekeeper closer. "Just this once...let's keep this one a mystery." They knew enough as it was, Danny...deserved to have the finer details blurred out. There was a long silence before Timekeeper's hand fell to his side and he was laying against Randy as much as he could.

"That...may be best. For the timeline." Randy gave a soft smile, pulling the emotion closer and hugging him tightly.

"Want us to stay here a little while? It's practically habit that we linger for a _bit_ , at least." Besides, Timekeeper was _far_ too stressed for his liking. Which _might_ have been why he was rubbing small circles into his back, again. Timekeeper gave a small nod, his hand reaching for Andrew's.

"Just a few minutes." Andrew clasped their hands together, pressing a kiss to the back of it. Leaning closer, and rubbing small circles into the hand, Andrew gave him a smile.

"We'll stay for as long as you want."

::

"Well. Timekeeper must've fallen asleep, then." Randy noted from where he was on the floor, a bit dazed as he pulled himself up with a quiet groan. "You awake, kitten?"

"Ahh, my head. What happened?"

Andrew sighed from where he had landed on the bed, running a hand through Danny's hair. "You had a time vision. Similar to Randy."

Danny looked up at them, his eyes narrowed with confusion and drowsiness. "I don't remember a time vision."

"Yeaaah, it seems to have happened while you were asleep," Randy explained, floating up to settle on Danny's other side, flopping down to curl around him. "It's fine, we took care of it. Everything sorted and settled, and all that, so the memories will probably settle in soon."

"...But I always remember time visions when I'm asleep." Danny still looked confused, only continuing to lay on the bed. Randy nuzzled against him with a hum, hand slipping under the teen's shirt to rub deep circles along his spine.

"It's fine, it's fine, just take your time remembering. You should probably rest a little more, too, since that was mentally draining." Andrew gave a vague hum of agreement, settling down to rub at Danny's sides and lightly nuzzle at his neck, and, yes, sleep sounded good to him, too. Danny purred as he settled back down between the two, nuzzling his cheek against Andrew and snuggling back into Randy.

And, yes, they'd talk about everything later, for now, though, sleep sounded like a _very_ good idea.

::

"So... Those magazines."

Randy quietly sunk down in his seat from where he was drawing in a sketchbook, looking pathetic. "I know we said we should probably talk about it, but I didn't think it'd be the day after, to be fair." Although it was a good moment, since Danny was off at class.

"...Well, I just happened to be thinking of the topic." He quietly put the laptop over in Randy's lap, staying completely still and silent. Randy blinked at the laptop, seeing the browser was filled with different tabs of wedding venues, color schemes, flowers, reception, and everything else.

"...You're not the only one." Randy handed his sketchbook over, the one he had been working in lately. It was _covered_ page to page in doodles of wedding suit designs, as well as designs for other people that would be part of such a wedding. Each one had a little twist that was utterly suited to their wearer.

Andrew glanced to Randy, slowly nodding. "Alright. When are we going to talk to _them_ about this?"

"...Ah...Christmas seems enough time for us to work up the nerve and plan a few more things out." Randy clicked around on one of the tabs, looking it over. "This is a lot of bookmarks."

"...You can't see when those were bookmarked, right?"

"No, just like you can't tell when some of those were drawn."

"Perfect."

"So, ah, is...that something you would want- I mean, I would assume so, seeing all of this, but, just you know, yeah..." Randy would just sink down on this couch, now. Into a tiny ball of embarrassment- It's not like he was much the relationship type, before all this!

"Ah- No, no, definitely something I would want..." Andrew gave a quiet chuckle. " _Talk about a white wedding._ " Setting the laptop aside, Randy flopped over Andrew's lap, curling up to him and settling down with a little hum.

"Yeah, yeah, and...same...on the wanting it..." A glance upwards. "So, should we do the responsible thing and talk it out with Danny, or surprise propose? Because the last one seems like sort of a dick move, really, when you think about it."

"Not if...we do it quietly. Somewhere where it's just the three of us. Then he wouldn't really have the pressure. He knows he can tell us anything, including 'no.' He already has, in some ways."

"I think I might have the perfect place in mind," Randy nodded, looking up to Andrew. "Remember the field I took you to a few years ago? Think it might do?"

"I think he'd _adore_ it." Andrew leaned over to gently kiss Randy, smiling down at him with adoration. Randy gave a little hum, pulling Andrew back down to return the kiss, and press up into him.

"I think so, too. What do you think about Valentine's Day? If we're gonna do this right, we might as well go all out, yeah?"

"Definitely." Andrew pressed a couple fluttering kisses to Randy's face, humming back. "I love you. You know that, right?"

"Yeah. I love you, too."

"So, what did _I_ miss?" Andrew snatched at his laptop, closing it and giving Danny a grin. Randy was much the same, flipping his fingers to close his sketchbook with his powers.

"Oh, nothing much, Danny, aren't you supposed to still be at class?" Woo, close one.

"Teacher canceled. Thought I'd come home for the day and chill." He barely got the words out before he was being tackled by Randy, the three of them teleported to the gardens - as well as Andrew's laptop.

"So then you have nothing against me kidnapping you to the gardens and then cooking lunch for you, yeah?"

"Uh...alright. Why are you two being so affectionate?" Randy only hummed, curling around Danny and nuzzling at the top of his head. And maybe covering him with kisses and gentle touches.

"What? We're not allowed to be affectionate?" Danny hummed back, nuzzling back against him. Andrew hummed, narrowing his eyes in thought before floating the two up and setting them down on...glass? "Oo, your shields are getting better!" Randy was stretching out and batting at the water over the edge of the supposed shield that was crystal clear, looking delighted. When Danny looked down at the water, he could see a vague purple shimmer before it was gone like that. There was a pause, and Andrew kicked the shield, sending them floating out to the water.

"Yes, my shields have gotten better." Randy gave a quiet little giggle, bubbling Andrew and his laptop before flicking his hand and sending him to the bottom of the pond.

"Very proud of you, darling." Nodding, Randy curled back up around Danny, kissing at his neck. And _maybe_ nibbling a _bit_. Danny gave quiet purrs, already in his ghost form as he wrapped his tail around Randy's legs to keep him close. Getting an idea, Randy gave a bit of a smirk before he was forming his own tail, wrapping it around Danny's and rubbing the tips together. And _possibly_ purring very much because yes. Yes, good, mate close. "Je t'aime, mon douce." The teen gasped, his purrs drastically increasing as they hitched and _oooh yes yes yes yes yes he liked this._

"Don't be cruel, Randy," Andrew snorted, settling back against the bubble shield and relaxing at the peaceful atmosphere. "And don't get _too_ distracted, there." He would hate for his laptop to electrocute him.

"Danny would probably hate it if you got distracted, too," Randy snorted, flipping them around to where he was settled on top of Danny, giving another sharp nip to the side of the teen's neck. And maybe rubbing the tips of their tails together a _bit_ more. "Besides, I'm not _distracted_ , I'm just showing attention to my mate."

"Mhm. Just be careful," Andrew hummed, feeling more safe than he sometimes did sitting out on the couch.

"Yeah, yeah."


	38. Screaming Going Ghost Is Bad For Secrets

Kit - Danny- Danny. You're not subtle. Ever. At all.

* * *

 **Chapter Thirty-Eight**

 **::**

"Sooo. Danny." Randy sat down next to Danny, poking at his cheek. " _Have_ you put any more thought into telling your parents your secret?" It had been a little over a week since their trip into Danny's mind, and Randy _was_ curious if the teen had given it any thought.

"Funny you mention that," the teen nervously laughed. "Would... Could you guys come with me?" Randy smiled softly, pecking Danny on the cheek and nuzzling against the spot.

"We'd love too. Right, Andy?"

"Of course we would." Andrew ran a hand through Danny's hair, giving him a warm smile of his own. "So, when were you thinking?"

"Uh, like...an hour?" A moment of silence, Randy giving a quiet chuckle as he leaned against the teen.

"An hour seems fine. 'Sides, we were planning on going over and visiting together soon, anyways. Today seems as good a day as any." A pause, and a look up to Danny. "Would it make it better or worse if Plasmius was there?"

"I...don't know. Probably worse." He really wanted it to be just them. The people that mattered the most to him. And at the moment, Vlad wasn't that high up on the list.

"Alright, that's fine. I think he's out of town, anyways. On another business thing, or something." Shifting and wiggling around, Randy adjusted until he was sitting in Andrew's lap, Danny in his and tucked under his chin. "Mine."

"Yours. Both of yours." Danny hummed, taking Andrew's hand and holding it close. "What if..." Andrew kissed the palm of the hand that was holding his, smiling softly.

"They'll accept you no matter what, Danny... If they can accept Vlad's secret, then they can accept yours. Yes things might be...complicated, for a while, but they'll return to normal quickly. After all, you Fentons are remarkably good at persevering and adapting. You more than others."

"I guess, huh." Danny smiled as he leaned back a bit. "...Hey, Randy?" A curious little hum at the words, Randy looking down at him. "Do you have anymore clothes I can wear, in my human form?"

"...I might," Randy coughed quietly, avoiding Andrew's look. "Remember a few weeks ago when you were on one of your star kicks? I might have...gone galaxy print crazy, a bit..."

Danny grinned widely, nuzzling against him. "Can I see?" Randy sighed dramatically before flicking his hand, teleporting all three of them to one of the spare rooms. Said spare room happened to be _covered_ in clothing, fabric, sketched out designs, half finished pieces, and even a sewing machine stashed away in a corner.

"So, remember how I said my major was fashion design in college? Yeaaah. I got carried away, a bit..." Danny looked around the room, nodding and taking it all in.

"Leggings, and a white tee-shirt with some print on the front?" Randy was flying around before gathering the objects and handing them over, the white tee-shirt having little black frills along the bottom edge. When tilted the right way, they seemed to shimmer with little white stars, the leggings much the same. Danny started taking his clothes off, and trading them out for the new outfit. "I like the frills."

"Really? Mon cher, you have no shame."

"At this point, not really."

"Hey, screw your gender roles," Randy stuck his tongue out, flying around Danny and adjusting things here and there, making sure it fit.

"I was just talking about changing here in the middle of the room, actually."

"You're _complaining_ about that? Really now, Andy."

"I never said it was a complaint. Just an...observation."

" _Now_ who doesn't have shame?" Randy snorted, stretching out the shirt a little before flying around. A moment later and he was holding out a black jacket that had no buttons and was a bit tight around the arms. It was also long enough that it would _definitely_ cover the fingers.

Danny hummed, looking at the jacket a bit. "How good are you at last minute adjustments?"

" _Very_ good, at this point."

"Can you make the arms wider?" Randy gave a slow nod, digging around for a moment before coming back with another jacket, exactly the same but with wider arms.

"Didn't know which you would like, so I made two. Arm adjustments are a _bitch_ to make last minute." Danny gave a nod and pulled the jacket on, smiling at Randy brightly.

"Thanks. Love you." Randy only gave a little hum, adjusting a few things here and there and ruffling the jacket in just the right way for Danny to see the small 'DP' logo at the bottom corner.

"Love you, too." A little coo. "You're a fashion designer's _dream_." Such perfectly even measurements.

"Is that a...good thing?" Danny rose an eyebrow at him, smiling down at the logo. Randy nodded happily, still adjusting things here and there and making sure it was all on correctly.

"Your measurements are so perfectly even and so _nice_ to work with. Aa, perfect mate." A pause, and a kiss to Andrew's cheek. "You're perfect as well, darling."

"Would they...stay that way? If I kept growing?"

"Well, they wouldn't stay the _same_ , but they would stay as even as they are as your whole body grows." There was a moment of Randy digging around on the desk before placing something on Danny's head. Danny glanced up, grinning at Randy and kissing his cheek.

"Mmkay. Just checking."

Andrew gave a quiet laugh as he ran a hand through Danny's hair - or at least, the part that wasn't being being pressed down by a icy blue flower crown. "Are you sure you don't want to play anymore dress up, today, mon cher?"

"...We have plenty of time."

"Ya know, I have a lot of stuff I've made for you, too, Andy," Randy grinned, sliding up to Andrew and nuzzling their cheeks together.

"You what?" Andrew looked startled by his words, looking at him. Randy was gesturing to the other half of the room, which was filled with color schemes of gray and purple, with a lot of black accents. "...I thought they were all for Danny."

"Nah, you were my _original_ model, after all. Who do you think made all your assassin clothing, after all? The _tasteful_ part of it."

"...Sylvia?" Andrew was staring at Randy with wide, innocent eyes.

"...Andy, she couldn't sew. At all. She- I fixed _her_ clothing." Randy sighed, rubbing at his eyes and shaking his head. "Come on, I'm going to get you into something _besides_ gray before we go and visit Danny's parents."

"Wha- Like what?! What's wrong with grey?!"

"Nothing, nothing, it just needs some accents, is all...and a few other things."

::

"Hey, Mom! Hey, Dad!"

"Danny! Hey! You're just in time-" Maddie paused, looking from the front door, to the basement door where Danny was waving at her. "...So, is this you telling us straight out that those two are ghosts?"

"Well, I mean, I already did that at Halloween."

"I wasn't sure if that was your dry humor, or not. It _was_ Halloween." Maddie shrugged, Jack already moving to bear hug the Riters, Danny escaping just in time.

"We also live in Amity Park." Danny snickered at Andrew and Randy's 'problem.' " _Anyone_ could be a ghost. _Vlad_ could be a ghost."

"...You knew Vladdie is a ghost?" Jack blinked at that, Maddie shaking her head and sighing. "What? What!"

"I'm just saying," Danny said with a grin and yes. This was going to be...easy. Totally. "So, Mom, you wouldn't happen to have any fudge, would you?"

"On the counter," Maddie chuckled, looking amused as Andrew finally just phased out of Jack's hold, huffing as he headed for the table. "You know, even with your _very_ well done illusions, we _are_ ghost hunters. We know how to tell ghosts apart from humans."

"I _told_ you," Andrew narrowed his eyes at Randy, rolling his eyes. "And you think you're _so_ clever."

"Wha- You started this! You're the one who always walked Danny home from school with your teen illusion, and all!" Randy defended, smiling in thanks when Jack set him down. "I was just copying after you."

"And doing it poorly. Honestly, you didn't even change your _hair._ " Andrew tugged Danny closer until he could curl around the teen. Randy only rolled his eyes, snatching a piece of fudge for himself.

"So, should we drop the illusions, at this point? I mean, I feel like they're pretty useless, at this point."

"Pretty useless, yeah," Maddie nodded, trying not to laugh. It was always _interesting_ when Danny brought the two around. "By the way, where'd you get that outfit-"

"Randy made the clothes," Danny blurted out. Andrew snickered, hiding his face in the teen's hair. Maddie raised an eyebrow, looking over to Randy.

"What? A ghost can't have an interest in fashion?" Randy was letting his illusion fade, pulling himself up onto the counter before nibbling at the fudge. "Also, Mrs. Fenton, your fudge is _perfect_."

As Andrew turned his illusion off, Danny gave a quiet hum. Now or never... Maybe... The kitchen lit up for a moment before the lights were gone again. "...Is now a good time to mention I'm half-ghost?"

"Well, considering we've known since before you started senior year, it _might_ be a good time," Maddie chuckled, her and Jack looking perfectly at ease as Jack went back to making lunch. Although he stopped to pull Danny into a bear hug.

"Yeah, you weren't that sneaky, but we figured it _was_ your secret to tell," Jack added, hugging the teen tightly. "Although we're glad you trust us enough to tell us."

Danny paused, hugging Jack back and curling up a bit, looking happier than he had in awhile. "Yeah. I guess so."

"So, did Randy make those clothes, too, then?"

"You know, I _could_ make you two some new hazmat suits," Randy pointed out, munching on more fudge. "Something besides orange and blue. Or at least, something besides _spandex_."

"Randy. Randy no. Don't try it." Danny shook his head frantically. Maddie, meanwhile, was narrowing her eyes at Randy, who seemed to realize he was walking a fine line.

"Not that there's anything wrong with your suits. They're very well made, and _very_ advanced."

"Mhm." Danny only laughed as he continued to hug Jack. This was just about...

Perfect.


	39. Itty Bitty Cutie

Kit - Danny is an itty bitty tiny cutie and it shall remain that way for all of time. We decree it.

* * *

 **Chapter Thirty-Nine**

 **::**

"Boo."

"Yes, you are indeed a ghost right now. How wonderful of you to be self-aware." Vlad glanced up from the computer he was working at, seeming amused.

"I..." Danny rubbed at his arm as he changed back into his human form. "I wanted to talk to you about something."

"Oh?" Vlad shifted in his seat to turn more towards Danny, foot pushing another chair out for the teen to sit on. "Everything alright? I heard you recently told you parents about everything."

"I did, but this isn't about that." Danny took a seat as he seemed to be trying to gather his thoughts. "You said something about growth hormones, once." Vlad nodded, glancing back to his work before turning and giving Danny his complete attention, hardly noticing he still had his reading glasses on.

"I did. When I was in the hospital, it seemed the portal had a few unexpected side-effects _besides_ the ghost powers. One of them was delayed growth. My nails, hair, and height all practically stopped growing, taking months to grow at all. The doctors prescribed me growth hormones, for it."

"And being on the hormones? What was that like?" They obviously didn't improve his vision.

"I didn't much notice their effect, actually. I was in college, after all, and my height had already evened out, so I only grew a few more inches from them. The growing pains were a little...annoying, I suppose, but it wasn't much noticeable after the first few weeks." Danny slowly nodded.

"And...what would it be like for me? My body is still at about fourteen." A hum, the elder halfa seeming to think it over for a few moments.

"I assume the pains would be a _bit_ more for you, but nothing too bad. Once they started taking effect, you would gain height rather rapidly, considering your age. I wouldn't be surprised if you gained six or more inches after a few months of them."

Danny narrowed his eyes at that. "A few months being how long, exactly?" If Vlad was curious or confused at the question, he didn't show it.

"Five to seven months, at most, I would presume."

"...And how would I be able to get these growth hormones?"

"You would need to be examined and and prescribed by a doctor, but since I have my own degree in the matter and am licensed, I could easily do that for you if you wanted them."

"...I see." Danny gave a nod as he rose from the seat, changing back into his ghost form. "Thanks, Vlad."

"Of course. Let me know if you choose to use them." Vlad gave a small smile as he went back to his work, clicking away at something. "Also, your outfit is _much_ nicer than that hideous spandex you were wearing before."

"I'm surprised you know _anything_ about style. Have you _seen_ your ghost form?" With that, Danny was flying off and heading back towards Amity Park. A quick scan of the rooftops and he was phasing into one room in particular, plopping into Tucker's lap.

"Ya know, that you used to be much more startling when you first started doing it," Tucker pointed out, flicking at Danny's forehead. "Now I expect it."

Danny gave a quiet laugh as he only settled down. "Thanks, Tuck. That does wonders for my self esteem. Hey, Sam," he waved to her.

"Hey, Danny, you're just in time to see Tucker get _destroyed_. Again. For the fifteenth time-"

"Tenth!"

"I see _someone_ is counting their bitter defeats and taking them personally. So, what's up, ghost boy? Have any more mind-shattering revelations for us, or did you just drop by to complain about your teachers. Again. For the hundredth time."

"It's not the _hundredth._ " The teen paused before giving a huff and crossing his arms. "More like the eightieth." He gave a dramatic groan and fell limp. "...I'm thinking about getting growth hormones."

"For your height?" Tucker asked curious, pausing the game and shifting to drag over a chip bowl, munching on a few while handing some over to Danny. "Because you're really not _that_ short."

"Although if you wanted to take them it's your choice," Sam chimed in, snagging a few chips for herself. "As long as you don't grow to be seven feet. Because that would be weird for all us."

"For _everything_! Come on, guys! Think about the last time I got my hair cut? Or had to trim my nails? Or when a size small was ever too small?" Danny shook his head, a hand pulling tightly at his scarf. They just...didn't get it.

"To be fair, every time you brought this up, it was mostly about the height," Sam pointed out. "And, yeah...it _has_ been a while since I've seen your hair getting long. At all."

"Do you _want_ to take the growth hormones, though?" Tucker asked, getting a beaded pillow and dropping it in Danny's lap. "Do you think they'll help?" Danny switched from pulling at the scarf to the pillow, giving a shrug.

"I dunno. That's why I'm actually thinking about doing it. Obviously the portal screwed things up. It's not like I was supposed to just be this tall my entire life."

"True," Sam nodded, rolling over on the bed to get closer, patting at Danny's head. "Do you hate it that much? I mean, you always seemed pretty comfortable with it all, besides the mock rage."

"I dunno. I just... It feels unhealthy." Danny sighed as he leaned his head against her hand. "I dunno."

"Feels unhealthy as in everything feels wrong, stilted, and off, or feels unhealthy as in you _think_ it should feel wrong?" Tucker asked, poking at Danny's cheek.

"I- I dunno! Both? Neither?" Grabbing Danny's cheeks, Sam tilted his head up so she had his attention. Although she did let go after a moment because a trapped Danny was good for no one.

"Danny, chill. We're just trying to help you figure this out. Now, are there any times of the day where you _really_ notice your height? And I'm not talking about not being able to reach a shelf, more just it bothers you constantly kind of noticing."

"N...No, not constantly," he said quietly, stretching out the pillow and pulling at it. It was a little amusing seeing as the pillow had the face of a generic ghost on it.

"Alright, harder question. Would there be instances in which you would miss your _current_ height?" Tucker asked, snagging more chips.

"I..." He thought about it. He thought about it for a long time. The room was silent until he spoke again. "Maybe a little."

"Now here's the _really_ hard question," Sam spoke up, voice gentle. "Do you think you might miss your current height _more_ than you want a possible new height?"

"...I dunno."

"Well, how about you think on it a little?" Tucker suggested, pulling the controller over and unpausing the game to try and beat Sam when she wasn't paying attention. "Once you figure the answer out, you'll know if you really want to take the growth hormones, or not."

"Yup, and I have to admit, longer hair _would_ look good on you," Sam chimed in, effortlessly destroying Tucker's character. "Denied."

"...Yeah."

::

"I have officially decided."

"That's great," Randy smiled, looking up from some new designs he was sketching. "...What's been officially decided on, exactly?" Andrew, who had glanced up from his laptop, gave a little snort.

"The growth hormones," Danny said with a hum as he floated to Randy's lap, the older shifting his sketchbook aside and curling around Danny with a happy little hum of his own.

"Oh? And what's the final say on the matter, then?" Andrew asked curiously, watching the two with fond amusement.

"I'm not gonna get them." There was a moment of pause, and then a _visible_ sigh of relief, Randy flopping over onto the couch with Danny still in his arms.

"Oh, thank god. I can still cuddle you like the adorable cutie you are."

"Are you sure, mon cher?"

"Absolutely." Danny cuddled against Randy happily, his tail wrapping around the man's waist. "I wouldn't have it any other way... But I _do_ want longer hair."

"I'm not sure about your human half, but your ghost half _might_ be able to grow longer hair faster," Andrew pointed out, going over to 'rescue' Danny and cuddle him instead. Although he made it up to Randy by sitting in his lap and nuzzling against him. "Ghost forms can naturally change depending on how one wants to look, a reason my own has started getting longer."

"...It has?" Danny sat up immediately, gently combing hands through Andrew's hair and looking amazed before nuzzling close to him. "Cool."

"Oh, so _that's_ why your hair has been more of a wreck than normal lately," Randy snorted, tugging on a lock of said hair. It _was_ longer. A bit more and he would have enough for a small ponytail, at least. "Also, I'm selfishly glad you're staying the height you are."

"I know. You two are why I decided on it." Danny leaned against them, quietly purring. "You just mean so much to me."

"Aw..." Randy cooed and nuzzled Danny closer, Andrew rolling his eyes.

"Of course, but if you ever _do_ want to take them, it's your choice overall. Although it _would_ be strange to have you any taller." A scratch to the teen's scalp.

Danny yawned quietly, settling down. "Yeah. It would." And he liked the way he was. "Now I still have perfect measurements." A quiet chuckle from Randy, the man teleporting them all to the bed, and, yes. A nap sounded nice.

"Bonne nuit, mon douce."

"Night night."


	40. Time Is A WEAK Punk

Kit - Clockwork is bad at saying no to Fentons and Phantoms. More so when it comes to Jazz.

* * *

 **Chapter Forty**

 **::**

"Hey, Mom, how would you feel if I said I had a little sister?"

"Is this about Danielle?"

"Vlaaad! _I_ wanted to do the big dramatic reveal!"

"...I didn't tell her that," Vlad spoke quietly, staring at Maddie and slowly scooting his chair away from her. "I never told you that."

"I did!" A very cheerful Danielle Phantom popped up from behind the two halfas, effectively startling them both into letting out high pitched noises of terror.

"Elle-" Whatever else he was going to say was cut off as he tackled the girl to the ground in a hug, and also possibly a noogie. Elle was only laughing loudly, squirming and wiggling to try and escape, Maddie rolling her eyes in amusement.

"No ghost powers at the table." Even though she gave a fierce pout, Elle changed back to her human form, still trying to escape Danny. "Now _where_ is Jasmine? She's going to be late."

"Jazz said she was _gonna_ be late, something about dragging her...boyfriend?" Danny shrugged as he hugged the younger halfa close, even as he stood. "And Randy's trying to drag Andrew along."

"I wish him luck on that," Maddie snorted, going over to check on the items on the stove and getting shooed away by Jack. "What? It's not like I'm going to ruin it by _touching_ it." Vlad gave a quiet snort at that, smiling peacefully at the look he was shot.

Before war could break out - again - there were sounds of arguing and fighting from the basement, broken by a loud greeting. "We're here- Goddammit, Andy, stop fussing, you look _fine_!"

"I look like I'm going to your funeral! Which I may be!" With that, the basement door was opening, Randy dragging in Andrew by his arms, the two nicely dressed for once.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, like you haven't already." At the betrayed, exaggeratedly hurt look, Randy rolled his eyes. "Alright, okay, that one was low, but _still_." Sitting Andrew down in a seat, he snatched Danny and sat him in his lap, stealing Elle in the process. "Hiii, Elle."

"Hi, Randy!" Elle grinned, looking as innocent and precious as possible. "What's up?"

"Are you torturing your brother, again?" Randy snorted, sitting down with Elle and absently fixing her clothes a little.

"No," she whined, swatting at his hands. "He was torturing _me_ , thank you! He _tackled_ _me_ after I went through _all this trouble_ to look nice!"

"How very rude of him," Randy snickered, slipping Elle off to her own chair before digging around and pulling out a small booklet. "Maps to the newest biomes I found~ Only if you behave and cause no more than a _little_ amount of trouble." The girl gasped and pounced at the booklet.

" _Gimme_." Before _another_ fight could break out, the doorbell for the front door was ringing.

Danny leapt up, "I'll get it!" When he opened the front door he found Jazz smiling sweetly at him, keeping a tight grip on a human that was trying to escape in the other direction.

"Hi, Danny! We're here, sorry it took so long." She gave a strong tug to the arm of her...companion. "I hope that you guys haven't started, yet."

"If we're intruding, however, feel free to tell us to leave." The one trying to escape was a bit taller than Jazz, dressed nicely - although there was a lot of purple to his clothing. He also had styled white hair with black streaks through it. "Or me, feel free to tell me to leave and I will. Quickly." Danny looked up at the man. There was a long silence between them before the teen burst out laughing, curling around his stomach and slowly falling to the ground because _oh god she brought Clockwork._ "I _told you_ he'd be able to tell!"

"Jaaazz, did you kill Danny?" Randy poked his head out of the kitchen, seeing the person standing beside Jazz and blinking. Cautiously taking stock of the ghostly energy in the house, he was quietly making a 'snerk' sound. "Oh my god."

"Oh, come on, Randy, we all know you don't have one," Jazz said as she dragged Clockwork into the house. "Hey, Mom, we're here!"

"Hey, Jazz!" Maddie greeted the woman happily, curiously looking at the man next to her. "So is this the 'friend' you said you were bringing?" Randy was dragging Danny in while she asked, the teen still giggling to himself.

"Yeah! This is..." Jazz looked to her 'friend', raising an eyebrow at him.

"Markus Wurk." 'Markus' smiled, still trying to subtly escape. "I hope I'm not intruding, or anything, but feel free to shove me out the door. Quickly. Now."

"Oh, no! If Jazz thinks you're family, so do we!" Maddie gave him a smile as she helped herd him into the kitchen. "I remember you from Danny's graduation."

"A-Ah. I didn't think you remembered that," Clockwork muttered, and, really, next time he was finding a way to hide his energy. And even then Danny would probably find a way to rat him out, the brat.

Vlad was narrowing his eyes at him, tilting his head to the side. "Do I...know you?" Clockwork paused and _shit_ he was _not_ supposed to meet Vlad _now_. Goddamn Fentons.

"No, no, I don't think so, at least." Jazz was far too cruel to him, at times, honestly. He didn't _do_...family dinner things.

Jazz gave Vlad a grin. "No, you haven't met him, before. I can understand why you'd think that, though."

" _Oh my god Jazz you're the best big sister ever_." Danny was still trying to catch his breath from his laughing, looking too amused at Clockwork's situation.

"This is going to be the best Thanksgiving we've ever been to," Randy snickered, looking far too amused at Clockwork's situation, the time ghost huffing and giving him a light glare.

"The _only_ one," Andrew corrected with a roll of his eyes.

"Well, then," Danny said. When the others looked over, they noticed his familiar grin and... Oh no... "It's about _time_."

" _Please don't do this to me,_ " Clockwork whined in ghostspeak, looking _pathetic_. " _Haven't I suffered enough from your_ _ **sister**_?"

Danny looked to Jazz with wide eyes. "You pun?"

"Danny, I'm your sister. Of course I do." Elle was scooting her chair over to Clockwork before poking his side a few times, narrowing her eyes at him and then moving to clear out sit in his lap, settling down happily.

" _Danielle, you are a cruel child_ ," Clockwork muttered, adjusting to her anyways. Really, every Fenton and Phantom was out to get him. Riters, too.

"I know~"

Sitting back in Andrew's lap, Danny smiled happily. "So, what's for foods?" Andrew gave a small shudder, staring down at Danny with a near pout.

"You're far too cruel."

"Alright, alright, settle down, it's time to start serving," Maddie got up to help Jack, dragging Vlad in to help as well. "Claim your seats now and escape if you think you can." Clockwork quietly looked to the basement door.

Jazz answered for him, "You can't." Clockwork, Master of All Time and Reality, sunk down in his seat and pouted like a child.

"I have my seat," Danny proclaimed happily.

"Mine, too!" Elle grinned brightly, patting at Clockwork's head.

Jazz quietly laughed. "Well, at least we'll have enough seats, then."

"So, Jazz," Randy smiled brilliantly, looking as sweet as could be. "Where did you meet 'Markus'? You two seem rather close. Is he a friend from college?" This was going to be a _great_ Thanksgiving.

"Oh, yeah! You could say he's a history buff. In fact, isn't that your major?" She turned to him with a sweet smile. Clockwork only stared at her for a moment, and goddamn was this woman cruel. Pausing, he turned to Danny.

" _You've told them about all ghost buisness at this point, yes_?"

" _Not..._ _ **all**_ _._ " And, right, still hadn't said anything about the mates or being _King_. He should...probably do that. Later.

" _They know you and those two are ghosts, though_?" At the slow nod, Clockwork gave a happy smile, letting his illusion shift to where he had his normal ghost features, although the clothes remained so messy white hair could be seen. "Lovely. Hello, nice to meet you Jack and Madeline Fenton. I'm Clockwork, Master of Time."

"...Still not as dramatic as my reveal." Danny shrugged, looking unimpressed.

"I don't doubt that, but I really didn't want to try and remember which majors were which in this day and time."

Jack slowly nodded, holding his hand out to Maddie. "Pay up." Maddie huffed but handed the money over, Vlad snorting in amusement.

"Nothing can phase me at this point... Also, well done, Jack. About time someone kicked her from her high horse."

"What? Danny _told_ us, she just didn't believe it." He pocketed the money, looking quite pleased with himself. "So! Who's hungry?"

::

"...So, by the way."

"Oh, Lord, now what," Maddie sighed, giving up hope of saving any food for leftovers. Not after Sam and Tucker had dropped by.

"I'm the King of the Spirit World." There was a long among of silence at the table, Maddie sighing heavily and Jack only nodding.

"That would actually make _sense_..."

"Yeah, see! Hardly anyone ever believes it-" Oh yeah. The Spectra thing. Heheh ow. Not gonna tell them about that one.

"Why am I just now hearing about this," Elle complained, looking to be in a food coma in Clockwork's lap. "You never tell me things!" A pause, Elle blinking and narrowing her eyes. "Can your first order as King be to ban Spectra for forever?"

"...You know what? Yeah. For you."

"Oh, look at that!" Randy was suddenly standing up from the table. "We need to go back! We forgot to feed...the lions."

"Do they even eat-"

"We had a nice time visiting, take care, love you all, bye!" With that, the three of them were gone from the table and landing on couches in Vidya. "...Well, I think that went well!"


	41. December 3rd If Anyone Was Curious

Kit - They like spoiling each other a lot, especially on birthdays.

* * *

 **Chapter Forty-One**

 **::**

Randy yawned and scrubbed at his eyes tiredly, looking to be half out of it as he headed towards the kitchen on auto-pilot. He was then pausing at seeing breakfast was already made and Andrew and Danny were up. "...Did... Wha..." A pause. "Are you body-snatchers?"

Danny and Andrew each kissed at Randy's cheeks, Danny wrapping around him and nuzzling against him. "Happy Birthday, mon prince charmant." And, yes, alright, Randy might have been blushing a _little_.

"Ya know, after being a ghost for a few decades, we really don't do birthdays much anymore." Returning the hug, Randy paused and narrowed his eyes. "...Shouldn't _Andy_ be Prince Charming, here?"

"Well... You're technically a prince, too. And you're charming. And you always save the day." Danny kissed his cheek again. "And we're doing birthdays, now. Thankfully, Andrew never forgot the exact date, right mon ange?"

"I made sure not to," Andrew hummed, kissing at Randy's cheek and nuzzling against the spot. "So, no fighting back when we spoil you today, alright?"

"Wha- But- Fiiine," Randy sighed, letting himself be nudged and pulled to the table. "I'll _try_ not to fight back- Wait." Randy looked to Andrew with a startled look. "You cooked breakfast?"

"Of course I did. Why do you sound so _shocked_?" Andrew gave a pout as he leaned against Randy.

"Shocked and _very_ happy," Randy beamed, kissing Andrew sweetly and lingering for quite a few moments. "I _adore_ you breakfast, after all." Snatching Danny, and giving him a kiss as well, because didn't want to leave him out, Randy happily sat down at the table. "So, what do you two have planned, then?"

"If you finish breakfast, we'll tell you." Danny sat down beside him with a happy hum, digging into the breakfast and huh. Those rolls didn't turn out that bad.

"Or you'll just keep me guessing all day," Randy snorted, happily munching on his breakfast, though. And maybe dragging Danny into his lap to cuddle him, because, yes. Danny cuddles.

Andrew rolled his eyes, sitting at Randy's side and nuzzling against him. "But that's half the fun, isn't it?" Randy only hummed, giving a quiet purr and relaxing against the two of them.

"I suppose." And, really, he hoped they hadn't gone and been _too_ ambitious. He hadn't ever really made a big deal of his birthday, before, after all. And he certainly remembered Danny's master plan for Andrew and the library of Alexandria.

"You're gonna _love_ it." Danny kissed at his cheek, his tail wrapping around the man's waist. Today was going to be _great_.

::

"Ya know, when I pictured you two blindfolding me, it involved handcuffs and a bed. Not walking in public."

"Well, I mean, there are _plenty_ of things that can be done in public," Danny hummed. Andrew huffed and swatted the teen in the back of the head, Randy giving a snort of laughter.

"Alright, alright, where are you two taking me." Randy was walking right beside Andrew and seemed perfectly at ease with being blindfolded, steps measured and careful with the man dodging whatever came up in his path. Purring quietly, Danny remained wrapped around him piggyback-style.

"You'll see in three...two... Okay, you can take it off, now." Randy only raised an eyebrow, arms busy supporting Danny.

"Yeah, sure, let me just drop you onto the ground before doing so." Danny rolled his eyes, his arms wrapped tightly around Randy's neck.

"I'll be fine." Randy sighed dramatically but moved one arm enough to tug the blindfold off. Seeing they were in front of a rather well-known art gallery, Randy was giving a little squeal of delight and hopping in place for a few moments.

Andrew gave a laugh, nudging Randy forward. "Well? Go on. I've already got the tickets." Randy was setting Danny down and hugging Andrew in sheer delight before dragging the teen in by the hand, already rambling very quickly in French about all the work inside this particular gallery.

"I know, I know! Tell me about it! It's so great!" Andrew gave another quiet laugh as he followed after the two, handing over the tickets. They were both so _adorable_. "Nonono, really! Tell me more!"

"Well, considering this place is open for _hours_ , I'll be sure to do just that," Randy laughed, kissing at Danny's cheek. "Starting with this exhibit over here because _yes_."

::

"Okay, okay, next place! So, I know you've been messing with your guns recently..."

"Yeaaah." Randy seemed rather amused as Danny dragged him along down the sidewalk. Although he _might_ have been clinging to Andrew for warmth because _some_ of them didn't have ice cores. Danny dragged him until they were stopped in front of a store, and the teen was gesturing dramatically.

"Ta-dah!" Randy blinked at the rather large gun store, looking back down to Danny before dragging him into a hug and silently nuzzling their cheeks together. Danny nuzzled back before opening the door and setting him loose in the store. "Have fun, darling!"

"Welcome! Can I help you folks- Well, he's certainly eager, isn't he?" The person behind the counter seemed wildly amused, watching Randy disappear back into a corner, already going through things and mumbling under his breath. "Real into guns, is he?"

"Yeah, he's really into parts and stuff," Danny said, rubbing at the back of his neck before dropping his hand to fiddle with his scarf. "Could we find some parts for revolvers?"

"Depends on what types of revolvers you're looking for." The man - 'Nate', judging by his nametag - was gesturing towards the area Randy was already in. "Those would be all the revolver parts around that area."

"...Lovely."

::

"Alright, we have to get coffee, or _someone_ is going to collapse from exhaustion." Randy glanced back to Danny, who was once again on his back and yawning a bit.

"Coffee stop it is," he chuckled, shifting the bags on his arms and leaning into Andrew. A flash of power and they were right in front of the Skulk and Lurk - or at least, in the alleyway beside it. "Daaannnyyy. We're at your favorite coffee slash gothic bookstore place."

"Woooo." Danny only slumped further with a quiet yawn. He shifted until his ankles were crossed around Randy's waist and his arms wrapped tightly around the man's neck.

"Yeaaah, we need to get some coffee and sugar down you," Randy laughed, following after Andrew through the door, the man already going to the counter to order their usuals. "Alright, let's grab some seats, yeah?"

"Mmkay." Looking around the coffee shop, Danny smiled as he nuzzled against Randy, speaking quietly. "This was where Andy and I had our first date."

"Yeah, I know." Getting a booth seat, Randy tugged and shifted Danny until the two were sitting down, Danny nestled under his chin. "When I came to visit he was going on all about you and your dates and everything. It was _adorable_." The teen clung to Randy's shirt with a sleepy smile.

"Really? Even way back then?"

"Yup, even way back then."

"Oh? And what are you two talking about?" Andrew slid into the seat next to them, setting the cups down and looking rather amused.

"Oh, just the fact you were a cute adorable nerd when you were still realizing you actually had feelings for our cute little Danny, here." Randy tugged Danny's cup closer, kissing at his cheek.

Danny sipped at the cup as he curled up in Randy's lap. "I kept having 'girl talks' with Sam and Tucker. It was funny, now that I think about it."

"See, you two had people to talk to with your crushes, but I only had a fussy lair that kept nagging at me," Randy chuckled, sipping at his own drink and scratching at Danny's scalp. "Thank you two for today, by the way. It's been very fun."

"There's still more, too," Danny said with a hum, already looking more awake.

"Oui," Andrew added as he kissed Randy's cheek. "I will admit that the art gallery and coffee shop were my ideas, but this next one is completely Danny's."

"Oo, well, now I'm curious," Randy leaned into the touch, settling down a bit more. " _Speaking_ of Danny, you've been a lot more tired lately. You alright?"

"Hm? Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Just...not much to do, you know? Just college and cuddling with you guys. It's nice, though." Randy nodded, looking to Andrew with a bit of a head tilt.

"It could be that your ghost half is producing less energy due to you not using your powers much anymore. The same happened with Andy for a while, there... Perhaps we should start up training sessions with _all_ of us. Just in case something happens." The cracks on Pariah's sarcophagus...Danny dying in a few months...

"If you want, sure." Danny nodded as he took another sip of his coffee, holding it close.

"Don't worry, mon cher. The training sessions have turned out to be... _incredibly_ fun." Andrew snickered, looking amused at something. A very brightly blushing Randy was swatting at Andrew, grumbling quietly in French and _honestly_.

"Ooh? I think that that would be a _very_ good way to get me to want to train more often. Can that be a promise?"

"You two are _horrible_ ," Randy huffed, sipping at his own drink. "Honestly. Both of you, just brats." Shaking his head, he looked to them curiously. "What's next up, anyways?"

"Telling you is cheating," Danny huffed, looking pathetic. Randy only pouted, looking as pathetic as possible as he nuzzled their cheeks together and he wanted to knnooowww. Chuckling quietly, Danny scratched behind Randy's ear. "Don't worry, pet, it's a good surprise." Randy gave a quiet purr, leaning into the touch and looking perfectly content with cuddling Danny closer.

Andrew rolled his eyes and gave Randy a small tug to his collar. "Come on, we should probably get going." Randy snagged the man in a quick kiss, pressing close before he was parting and giving a grin.

"As you wish." And, yes...definitely a good birthday, so far.

::

"So, my darling white wolf, I remember how much you loved painting the stars."

"Considering how much you like seeing those paintings, yes, I do," Randy hummed, almost absently pawing at his blindfold. "Wwwhhhyyy do I have to wear this?"

"Because it's a surprise for a reason." There was a pause and Andrew was chuckling as Randy's back got colder. "That was also a surprise."

"Somehow it's a surprise that's not too surprising," Randy laughed, gripping Danny's arms and amused as the teen's tail wrapped around his waist. "We almost there, yet?"

"Yeah." Danny had quietly whispered the word, nuzzling at the side of Randy's head.

Andrew quietly laughed at the two of them. "Alright, Randy, I want you to sit down." Randy sighed dramatically but did as told, settling down where he was and absently noticing it was grass. Glancing up towards Andrew's general direction, he gave a small tilt of his head. Danny unwrapped himself from Randy before sitting in his lap and leaning back against his chest to get the other to lay down. "Alright, you can look now."

Wrapping one arm around Danny, Randy tugged the blindfold off with the other hand, eyes widening at the sight above him. With it being the winter months, night had fallen rather quickly, and the sky...was _filled_ with stars. As far as he could see, they were...everywhere... "Wow...I guess you could say I'm _star_ struck." Alright, he was allowed _one_ lame pun on his birthday.

Danny giggled as he cuddled the arm close, grinning widely. Andrew laid down beside them, throwing his coat over them as a makeshift blanket. "So, do you still not like your birthday?"

"I'm pretty sure that's not possible, at this point." Randy shifted to pull Andrew close with his free arm, curling around the two of them with a soft smile. "Thank you, both of you... Love you. Very, very, _very_ much."

Humming quietly, Danny wrapped his tail around Randy's leg. "Good... Cause I already have plans for next year."

"What?"


	42. The Mini-Me's Strike Again

Kit - We adore the child OCs. So much. Each ghost gets a ghostling and they're all so cute and adorable and OT3 is weak to small cute things. I mean, look at Andrew and Randy to Danny, after all.

* * *

 **Chapter Forty-Two**

 **::**

"Now, remember. Stacy is friendly but she gets startled if you move too fast, Annie _will_ try to cling to your leg and probably tackle you from out of a tree, and Josh, well, Josh..." Randy trailed off as he lead Andrew through the woods, a quiet sigh leaving him. "Josh is kind of...quiet."

"Mhm. Seeing as Danny tackles one of us near daily, I think I'll be fine." Andrew looked rather amused. Honestly, it was as though Randy didn't trust him around children.

"There's a difference between Danny and a five-year-old," Randy huffed, pausing after a moment. "...Well, not really. Kids! I brought the mate I was telling you about! Well, one of them." A flash and a small body was jumping from a tree and heading for Andrew's head. Andrew only bent over a bit so that the person landed on his back, instead.

"You're right. She's lighter." Randy rolled his eyes, picking up Stacy, who was happily hugging him. Annie had only readjusted to cling to Andrew's back, nuzzling at his neck and purring loudly.

"Yeah, yeah. So, the one you're holding is Annie, this is Stacy, and the one lurking in the trees is Josh. Tiny terrors, this is Andrew."

"Hi, Andy," Annie hummed happily.

"Oh, lovely. Another one." Andrew rolled his eyes, shifting her a bit to make sure she was comfortable.

"Yeah, Danny visited with me the other week. Annie really took a shine to him," Randy snickered, looking amused as he set Stacy back down to let her run ahead. "Jooosh. Come greet an adult that's nothing but a bratty teenager!"

"Oh? I didn't know you brought Danny, again." Stacy hummed happily as she faced them, easily skipping backwards through the forest. Randy snorted, rolling his eyes.

"Ha, ha, very funny. Just because you're older than him in ghost years doesn't mean you get to tease him _that_ badly. Josh!" A quiet rustling and Josh was in front of them, silent as his gaze flickered to Andrew, hand on his sword tightening for a moment. "Yes, he's carrying knives. No, he won't use them on you."

Andrew rose an eyebrow to the tiny child in front of them. "I'm much less liberal with the use of my weapons than Randy is." Josh stared at him for a long moment, seeming to study him intensely before he was nodding.

"Kay." His voice was rather quiet and barely there, the child turning on his heel and heading back down the path. "We live over there."

"Oh? So you live in the trees, then," Andrew sounded vaguely amused as he looked to the children. "I can see why Randy took to you, then."

"Oh? What's that supposed to mean?" Randy mock huffed, poking at Andrew's cheek. Josh was only watching them quietly, following after Stacy down towards a cave another dozen or so feet away.

"Josh lives in the trees," Stacy spoke up, seeming amused. "Annie and I stay in the cave."

Andrew only chuckled as he nudged Randy with his hip. "All I'm saying is that you're incredibly wolfish." Including apparently having a pack and caring after stray pups.

"Yeah, well..." Randy huffed, snatching Stacy as she ran by again and cuddling her close. "Tiny ghostlings." Josh had the rather curious reaction of tensing for a moment when Stacy was picked up before relaxing, glancing back once more before heading towards a section of the trees by the cave. At the reaction, Andrew was glancing to Randy, giving a small nod in Josh's direction and a raised eyebrow.

Annie easily went from Andrew's back to hanging on a branch, quietly laughing as she grinned at them. "Hi." Randy gave a chuckle, blowing some air in her face and laughing again as her nose wrinkled.

"Hi, wild child. Be careful up there, okay?" To Andrew, he gave a nudge and then a glance back to Josh, slipping into French. " _He acts like we did when young. Scared of everything, protective over his sisters, and afraid that anyone that shows them kindness wants something, or wants to kill them._ "

" _I noticed. He's incredibly like you._ " Andrew hummed as he leaned against Randy. " _Still, caves and trees_?"

" _We don't have a lair_." At the perfectly correct French - with a slight childish lisp to it - the two looked down to Josh, who was staring at them. " _I speak French_."

" _It's impolite to eavesdrop_."

" _It's also impolite to talk about people in front of them with a different language that you think they won't understand_ ," Josh quietly noted, tilting his head again and looking a touch amused.

" _Well then you should be telling that to Randy_."

" _Wha- I didn't think he spoke French_!" Josh rolled his eyes before hopping up into the tree Annie was in, almost absently nudging her onto a more stable branch before climbing higher. "That one is yours."

"Hmm, I much like her, though," he gestured to Stacy, looking all too pleased with himself.

"Nope. Mine." Randy hugged Stacy tighter, nuzzling against her. "This is my tiny ghostling. Go talk to the monkey child climbing up to the top of the trees."

"But you said that one was Danny's," he pointed out with a pout.

"I meant the one that's at the top of the tree and watching everything within a five-mile radius for danger." Randy snatched Annie before she could fall, happily carrying her and Stacy towards the cave.

At that, Andrew was raising an eyebrow and floating up to where he'd pointed out Josh to be. He settled down on a branch gently, looking amused. "Watch out, that leaf might fall on them."

Josh shot him an unamused look, sinking down from his spot and sulking a _bit_. "Or that wild ghost animal four miles to the north."

"It's four miles and it's attracted by the smell of phantasma flowers, none of which are in this forest. Nevermind the fact it's an herbivore." If it was possible, Josh sunk down even lower, pulling the hood of his jacket over his face. "If you want my advice, I would choose to listen, more than watch. You can hear quite a bit more than you'd expect."

"Whatever." Josh shot him a wary glance, curling up a bit and almost absently scratching at the sheath of his sword.

Andrew gave the sword a glance of his own as he turned to watch the other side of the forest. "What type is that?"

"...I dunno."

"Do you know how to use it?"

"Shove the pointy end into the core of the thing attacking."

"Then it's good enough."

"You use knives."

"Very different, though. I prefer to throw them. Want to guess how I do that?"

" _Throw_ the pointy end into the core of the thing attacking?"

"Bingo." There was a very quiet sound, like that of a child trying not to let out a laugh.

"What happens when you're facing something too large for knives? Or when you run out in battle?"

"I've never faced something too large for knives. And if I run out nowadays, I can form new ones with my energy." There was a shifting beside him, a glance down showing a very attentive Josh staring at him, looking curious.

"You can make weapons with ghost powers?"

"If you know how." Andrew slowly held his hand out, purple sparks flowing around it until a knife was in his hand, half transparent and wicked sharp. Josh watched it for a few moments, leaning over to cautiously paw at the grip of it, hand drawing back a bit as if afraid he was about to be hurt from it. Andrew flipped the knife until he was holding the blade, holding the handle out to the child.

A few silent moments and Josh was gently taking it, inspecting it carefully and flipping it over a few times. A minute of inspecting it and studying it every which way, he was flipping it like Andrew had, holding it back out to him with a tilt of his head. "'S sharper than the ones I used to use."

"Oh?" Andrew only gave a wave of his hand, the knife disappearing. "What was that like?" Josh watched the spot for a few moments where it had been, settling back down and curling up.

"They were dull, but they were easier to use. Better to throw, better to handle, easier to keep a distance and get away if it was a fight I couldn't win. I lost a lot of them, though, in fights, so I switched to a sword. At least I can't lose it as easily."

Andrew slowly nodded. "They tried to teach me sword. I know how to fight with them, but others know better. I use knives for the same reasons." Josh gave a nod of his own, studying Andrew over a moment.

"You only carry five at a time?"

"I find I don't need them, very often."

"Cause you spend all your time in Vidya?" At the look, Josh gave a bit of a shrug, voice quieting again. "Randy tells a lot of stories, when he visits. Danny more so."

"Partially, yes. But even when I go out, I typically know how to defuse a situation before I need to use them." Andrew smirked. "Sarcasm works fairly often." Josh nodded, leaning against Andrew and looking much more relaxed than when he had arrived.

"Must be nice, to have a lair you can be safe in." The tone wasn't so much nostalgic as just...stating a fact.

Andrew only snorted, rolling his eyes. "Safe in the way that she'll take everyone else's side over mine."

"Aren't lairs utterly loyal to who they belong to?" Josh tilted his head, looking slightly confused.

"They are loyal in the fact they protect you, but also that she'll typically go against me because 'she knows better than I do.'" Josh glanced from Andrew, down to the cave where Randy was being 'defeated' by his sisters, and then back to Andrew.

"Sounds like Stacy and Annie."

"I wouldn't be surprised." Andrew looked down at him for a long time. "You could visit, if you wanted. I'm not saying today, but... The offer is open."

"...Thanks." Josh relaxed a bit more against him, closing his eyes and settling down. "Randy was right when he said you were weak to kids."

"That would be because there is a difference between children and..." Andrew shuddered. " _Infants_." The child against him only gave a quiet little hum, the sound bordering near a purr. Andrew slowly wrapped an arm around Josh, giving a smile down to Randy.

Randy gave a thumbs-up from where he was, grinning widely before squeaking as he was attacked by the girl's again. "Alright, alright, I'll get you cookies! Jeez, you two are _vicious_!"

"You know, Vidya would probably like you three better than she does me," Andrew quietly commented to Josh.

"If it helps, I'd like you more than I would her," Josh yawned, slumping a bit more against Andrew, and, really, a nap didn't sound like a _bad_ thing right then. He _was_ only ten. Andrew gently rubbed at Josh's back, shifting a bit so the child would be more comfortable.

It was ten or so minutes before Randy was flying up to them, smiling in a bit of amusement and speaking softly. "You know he hasn't fallen asleep once in my presence since I started visiting them? Never takes his eyes off the girls, even for a second."

Andrew smiled at Randy, looking back down at Josh. "It's like you said. This one's mine."

"Definitely yours. Also, I need cookies. Before the girls kill me and drink my blood, or something. Annie would. I'm pretty sure she's half wolf."

Quietly snorting, Andrew shook his head. "Same pocket as always, darling."

"Thank you, dear," Randy hummed, pecking Andrew on the cheek before grabbing a few cookies. He barely managed to step on the ground before he was tackled to the ground again by two hungry ghostlings. Josh only squirmed and shifted until he was in Andrew's lap, ghostly tail forming to wrap around the older's wrist as he nuzzled against him. Andrew smiled and moved until he was leaning against the tree, running a hand through Josh's hair with his free hand. And maybe using his coat to cover the child.

And, really, maybe he _should_ come with Randy more often to check on these three. And perhaps talk to Randy and Danny about having the kids visit every so often.


	43. Hot Chocolate Heals All

**Kit - Get used to the mini-me's. They shall be here for forever.**

 **Kas - And they are absolutely adorable and actually important to plot.**

 **Kit - Mainly just adorable.**

* * *

"Why is it I've never seen you at the Christmas Truce... _gatherings?_ "

"Ah, they never seem much something my people and I are interested in," Frostbite explained, the two taking a break from where they had been training. Lately it had been focusing on Danny's sword work, as well as his ice powers. "We prefer to stay in our homeland more often than not."

"I can understand that," Danny said with a nod, trying to not show how tired he was getting. "I typically...leave fairly early, before things get...into full swing."

"You're lasting much longer in sessions than you did in the beginning," Frostbite pointed out, directing Danny to sit down. With their ice cores, the snow didn't bother them much at all. "I would assume your tiredness at this point is where your energy is once again beginning to grow." A considering hum. "I believe your power levels change so rapidly due to your half-natured state. They're far more adaptable and fluid than they might be normally."

"I... Also haven't been keeping up on my training," he admitted. "So our theory is that I haven't been having to produce energy in a while, therefore my body gets tired more easily."

"That would make a great deal of sense," Frostbite nodded. "Perhaps keep to training schedules certain days of the week, training with different powers. Such as you do with me for your ice core."

Danny nodded. "We've started doing so, but... We should probably increase it." He looked to Frostbite with a nod. "Thank you, Frostbite."

"You're quite welcome," Frostbite smiled, helping Danny back to his feet. "If I may ask, though, what am I being thanked for?"

"For...everything. Helping me originally, and now, giving me my sword, teaching me as you do. The least I can do is thank you." Frostbite smiled softly, settling a hand on the teen's shoulder.

"You can thank me by being the great King I know you will be."

Danny nodded. "Of course. Should we continue our training, then?"

"Of course." A quiet chuckle. "Now, let's see how good you've gotten with those powers of yours."

"Is that a challenge?"

"I would make it one, but we both know you would lose."

"Alright, old man, bring it on!"

::

"Aaaandy. Raaandy. I'm in pain- Why are there tiny children."

"They invited us to visit," Stacy explained, Annie tackling Danny in a hug as soon as he appeared, nuzzling their cheeks together. "We just got here five minutes ago. Josh hasn't stopped flying around." A glance did indeed show that there was a blur of movement around the shelves, Josh rambling about book titles. Danny only collapsed on the couch, Annie laying on top of his chest as he groaned.

"Paaaiiin, energy pain therefore not really physical pain but stiiiill." Annie patted at Danny's cheek, looking amused by his dramatics.

"Aw, poor thing," Randy cooed, kissing the top of Danny's head. "There, there, darling- Josh, careful, _before_ you run into a-" There was a dull thump from where Josh had clear out flown into a bookshelf, and then flopped to the floor with a groan. "That. Before you do that." Danny chuckled, looking amused as he pulled the blanket over him and Annie.

"Wake me up with food. Or cookies. Or hot chocolate." He rolled over onto his side, tucking Annie under his chin as he curled around her.

Andrew rolled his eyes as he knelt down beside Josh. "Should I be checking you for a concussion?" Josh only blinked, looking confused for a moment before darting up and tackling Andrew to the floor to get to the shelf behind him. Pulling out a book, he gave a squeal.

"You have M. J. Anderson books!"

There was a long silence before Andrew was looking to Randy pathetically. "You tell him."

"No, no, I'll leave that honor to you," Randy chuckled, picking Stacy up and heading for the kitchen.

"I told Danny, last time, you tell him this time!"

"Your child, your problem! Besides, I have a lunch to cook." Josh was beaming and looking at the other books, gasping as he pulled another one down.

"Soundless Clock! I haven't found a copy of this in _years_!"

Andrew looked to Josh and right. This would require tact. "I wrote everything on that shelf." Nailed it. Josh blinked, looking from Andrew, to the shelf, back to Andrew, and then at the book in his hands. Nodding, he wrapped himself around Andrew, looking adorably innocent, tail moving to wrap around his wrist as well.

"Mine."

Staring down at the child for a long moment, Andrew sighed before standing, Josh still in his arms as he walked to the kitchen. "Here we go again. How would you like some hot chocolate?"

"...Oh yeah, that's a thing that exists," Josh mumbled, curling up in Andrew's arms and settling down, looking perfectly relaxed and content.

"When was the last time you _had_ hot chocolate?" Randy asked curiously, already getting the stuff to make it, Stacy clinging to his back.

"Um...thirty-ish years ago?"

Andrew set Josh down on the counter, running a hand through his hair before he shooed Randy aside. "Aren't you supposed to be making lunch?"

"Alright, alright. I can see _you_ have a new favorite," Randy teased, going to making lunch and looking amused as Josh followed Andrew's every move. "Then again, so do me and Danny, so it's probably even."

"I know that I'll still always be your second favorite," Andrew hummed back as he went about making _six_ cups of hot chocolate.

"Yeah, yeah." It was a few peaceful minutes of working in the kitchen before there was a quiet little thump against Andrew's back, tiny hands clinging to his coat and a smaller tail wrapping around his upper arm as best it could. Andrew only paused for a moment before rolling his eyes and looking amused, continuing with what he was doing. There was a quiet little purring sound after a moment, and a light nuzzle against the back of his head.

"Mon petit, why don't you take this out to the sitting room," Andrew said as he held a cup out to Josh. The child nodded and took it, flying out to the sitting room and sitting on the couch next to the other two. Studying Danny and Annie for a moment, he looked back down to the cup and gave it a slight sniff.

After a few minutes of deciding it wasn't poison, he took a cautious sip. And then maybe moved to curl up in an armchair and possessively clutch the cup because _yes_. Andrew flew out to the room a moment later, holding two cups as he gave Danny a small nudge. "Mon cher? I have something for you." There was a little peek of an eye slitting open, Danny sitting up and taking one of the cups, Annie making grabby hands for the other. The man handed the cups over to the two _children_ before flying back into the kitchen and returning with a cup of his own. Glancing to Josh, he settled on the couch next to Danny and sipped at his own drink. "It's still not as good as the way you make it."

"That's because everything I do is perfect," Danny hummed, sipping at his cup and cuddling Annie close. Randy poked his head out from the kitchen, Stacy still wrapped around him.

"Lunch'll be done in another twenty minutes!" Josh blinked at that, looking over to Andrew before hesitantly flying over to him, hovering a bit and maybe he should just backtrack to his chair... Andrew glanced to him before adjusting the pillow on the couch to make room for the child and _no,_ he was _not_ curled up. Josh, of course, passed by the couch and went for Andrew's lap, curling up tightly and nuzzling at the older's chest. Andrew gave a quiet snort as he shifted so his arms were wrapped around Josh.

"Alright, hun. Will you tell us what we're having?" There was a small crashing sound from the kitchen, as well as a quiet swear in French and a giggle from Stacy.

"Um...I'll let you know when I finish figuring it out."

"Looks like soup!" Stacy offered helpfully.

"Everything he makes is soup," Andrew called back with a laugh. He glanced to Danny, adjusting so that he was leaning against the halfa. Danny hummed happily, leaning back and giving a kiss to his cheek.

"I hope you know I'm blaming you two for how domestic we're acting. We're curled up in winter months with tiny children while drinking hot chocolate." Annie leaned up and pecked a kiss on Danny's cheek. "...I'm broken." Snickering quietly, Andrew kissed his other cheek sweetly.

"Don't act as though you don't adore it." Danny rolled his eyes, gesturing towards Josh, who was curled up in Andrew's own lap and purring quietly. Also taking little sips of his hot chocolate. "What?" Andrew nuzzled against Danny some more, humming and looking completely content.

"You're the most domestic of us all, mon ange," Danny chuckled, ruffling Josh's hair. The child seemed startled and very tiny for a moment before he hesitantly leaned into the touch, giving a louder purr. "Aw..."

"Whatever lie you need to tell yourself, mon cher. We all know you're the most domestic." He turned his head, whispering to the teen quietly enough that certain eavesdropping children wouldn't hear. Danny listened for a moment before grinning widely.

"I very much like this. Be prepared for the fallout, though." Josh wouldn't let go of Andrew for _days_. "Also, I have another suggestion." Danny tugged him down, whispering just as quietly.

"Oooh, I like that. But you know, the first one would technically be from _you,_ " Andrew pointed out.

"Alright, so we'll both be prepared for the fallout," Danny shrugged, nuzzling against Annie, who gave a delighted little giggle before nuzzling back. Andrew only curled further around Josh, sipping from his own cup.

"Five more minutes on lunch," Randy called out, Danny smiling as he relaxed against Andrew, tail moving to curl around Annie.

"Next he says," Andrew muttered to Josh. "It will be half an hour."

"Okay, five to thirty minutes, we'll see!" At the words, Josh gave a giggle, looking heavily amused. "It's not like cooking is a science!"

Danny narrowed his eyes at that, looking to the kitchen. "What. Randy, repeat what you just said."

"No, I'm not getting into this with you again. Stacy, go defend my honor." With that, a flash of a ghostling was tackling Danny in a hug before moving to sit between him and Andrew.

"That's it. Andy, hold my kid!" Danny carefully passed Annie to Andrew before flying to the kitchen in a flash, a thud and clatter sound echoing out to the sitting room. All three children looked up to Andrew from where they were curled up beside him, Josh finally giving a snort of _genuine_ laughter.

"So, is every day like this, then?"

Andrew gave a laugh himself as he pulled the blanket over them. "Surprisingly enough? Yes."

"Seems hectic... And very fun."

"There's always something."

And, really, to the three kids? This place was _perfect_. Even if it was temporary...it was definitely...

Perfect.


	44. They're All Three Together

**Kit - THEY'RE ALL THREE TOGETHER! HOLY SHIT, MAN!**

 **Kas - Siiigh.**

* * *

"...So you guys wanna fuck, or what?" The question had the wonderful reactions of Randy blushing brightly and breaking his pencil, and Andrew choking on the sip of coffee he had taken. Danny curled up from where he was sitting on the floor in front of the fireplace, holding his stomach as he laughed loudly. " _Oh my god that was great._ "

" _Why_." Randy looked _pathetic_ , still blushing a bit as he tried to repair his pencil. "You- Just- _Why_."

Danny, his face still bright green, looked over to Randy with a smile, the top of his head against the ground. "Cause it's Christmas."

" _Technically_ it's Christmas Eve," Randy grumbled, looking over to Andrew, who was still coughing. "Also, if he chokes to death, that means you've killed him twice."

"Ghosts can't choke to death," Danny said as he rolled his eyes. "...Can they?" Randy only shrugged, flying over to Andrew and patting on his back, the man swatting him away.

"Nah, he's good. Just being dramatic. And ya know, you're _usually_ more subtle than that, so you can hardly blame us for being startled."

"To be fair, it was mostly a joke." The teen flopped back down to lay on the ground, looking satisfied with himself. "And a great one, too."

"'Mostly'," Andrew raised an eyebrow, looking somewhat amused, at this point. "So how much of it _wasn't_ a joke?" Danny looked up at them, giving a vague hand waggle.

"Ehhh?"

"Fifty. Fifty percent serious," Randy nodded, looking rather amused himself as he flew over to flop on top of Danny. "So I'm _guessing_ you meant all three of us when you said that."

Danny looked at them with a raised eyebrow. "Yeah, basically. Why?" Randy batted at Danny's head, curling up over him and kissing at his cheek.

"Because it's something we've never done and we want to make sure we don't rush anything in our relationship. Dealing with a human relationship is hard enough, add in two ghost mates? Things can get complicated, and we just want what's best for you."

A pause, Andrew pointing to Randy. "What he said."

At that, Danny was giving a snort and nuzzling at Randy. "You two are ridiculous." Even as he said it, there was a love-stricken shine to his eyes as he looked up at them.

"Yes, but you're just as ridiculous, so it works out rather well," Randy snorted, nuzzling under Danny's ear and _maybe_ brushing across his tickle spots. "Also, we need to work on your defense, some more." Really, the teen was far too susceptible to tickle attacks. Danny gave a quiet giggle before clinging to Randy.

"Yeah, but I know I'm safe with you two. So I don't need to keep my guard up, all the time." Andrew only raised an eyebrow, watching as Randy hummed and curled up to Danny sweetly before ruthlessly tickling him.

"Perhaps not keep that mentality around _Randy_." The youngest only clung tighter as he wiggled and squirmed against the attacks, his face bright green as giggles and laughs and snorts burst out of him. "Don't worry, too much, mon cher. He's weak to you, so he'll let up in a few minutes. Probably."

"Whaaat," Randy complained, letting up in order to cup Danny's cheeks and press fluttering kisses to his face, near straddling him at this point. "Is it _my_ fault he has such a beautiful laugh?" Danny was still giggling when he held Randy's face in his own hands, tugging him forward until he could lean their foreheads together.

"I am completely, ridiculously, _hopelessly_ in love with the two of you and nothing in either world is ever going to change that." Randy cooed, drawing the teen into a deep kiss while Andrew watched the two with a fond smile, flying over to settle beside them and give his own kiss to Danny.

"We love you as well, mon douce," Randy hummed, delighted as he nuzzled against the younger.

"Oui, very, very much." It seemed both Riters had made it their new mission to _spoil_ Danny with kisses and sweet touches, at this point. Danny only seemed far too happy with the situation, taking in every drop of their affection with a blush and a grin, holding the two close and looking as though he'd rather be nowhere else except exactly where he was. Safe and happy between his two mates and knowing that nothing could spoil the moment.

Of course, it was then Vidya told them that if they didn't start getting ready they'd be late to the Truce party. By a few hours. "We can always go tomorrow," Danny brushed off. "The party's not going anywhere."

"But this _is_ the best time to fuck with people with mistletoe kisses," Randy pointed out, humming as he placed some more kisses to Danny's neck. "Especially since we _still_ haven't told anyone we're all mates."

"Then we'll have proof tomorrow," Danny shot back with a cocky grin. Andrew hummed, looking considering.

" _True_ , but by then most people are too drunk to take notice of anything. It's only on the first day or so that any rumor material is _really_ effective."

"Everything else if forgotten in a haze of bad decisions," Randy snorted, marking up Danny's neck just a _bit_.

The halfa gave a dramatic sigh, looking pathetic and upset. "If you _really_ want to, I guess we can."

"Well," Randy drew out, looking to Andrew with amusement. "I suppose..."

"We can stay here for a _little_ longer," Andrew hummed, running sharp nails up Danny's back. "Oui?"

"Oh, we should _definitely_ stay longer," Randy purred, moving up to draw Danny into a deep, heavy kiss, nails going down his sides the same time Andrew's went down his back. Danny purred into the kiss, looking pleased with himself.

"If we're going to be staying longer, what are we going to do with that free time?" He kissed at Randy's cheek, his back arching.

"You're right...we have to find _something_ to do," Randy hummed, nipping at Danny's neck again and _maybe_ sucking on the pulse point. Just to make sure it was _very_ obvious that Danny was taken.

"Or some _one_ ," Andrew corrected, drawing Danny into his own kiss, nipping sharply at the bottom lip. "What do you think, mon cher?"

Danny, who had sharply gasped at the treatment to his neck, panted for a moment before grinning up at the two of them. "I think that is a _wonderful_ idea."

"Perfect~"

::

"Hey. Ember. Wassup?"

"How drunk are you to actually _say_ 'wassup'. Really, now, babypop."

"What? I don't drink." Danny looked offended at the fact she would even _suggest_ something like that. Ember, however, only looked amused.

"Seriously? You hang around _both_ Riters and you never drink? Now _that_ is the most surprising thing I've heard at this party yet. Speaking of, where are the overprotective bastards?"

Danny gave a shrug. "Andy's probably setting up drinking games and Randy's still getting ready, I think."

"I'm pretty sure that ghost's obsession is his _looks_ ," Ember snorted, sipping at her own drink before pausing and gently tilting Danny's head up. At seeing the _many_ markings on his neck, the girl gave a low whistle. " _Damn_ , that bookworm really did a number on ya, didn't he?"

"Huh? Oh, no, most of these weren't Andy." He waved her off, shrugging as he munched on a chip.

"Wha- No- _Hell_ no. You can't just say something like that and then casually munch on a chip- No. Spill. Who did it. Danny- Danny, you can't do that." Danny remained silent, looking happily dazed as he ate his food. "Daaannnyyy. Come on, seriously! It was Randy, wasn't it? He seems the possessive type."

"While you're not wrong, it's still rude to say it when I'm not around." Ember gave a little squeak, looking beside her to see...a...ghost...that she didn't know. "Seriously? Just because I have curls?"

"...Holy _shit_. _Randy_?!" Randy - if it really was him - had his white hair in thick curls and ringlets, thick glasses on his face and wearing something that she would normally expect _Andrew_ to wear. He also...had _freckles_?

Danny laughed as he cuddled against Randy and yes he adored this one. This one was his. "What would you say if I said neither?"

"Wha...no...that's not fair. Danny, man, you can't do this to me," Ember whined, looking pathetic. Really, how _rude_. "It _has_ to be one of them- Wait what the hell why would it be Randy you're _mated._ "

The youngest nodded, his eyes wide and innocent. "Yeah." It was a few seconds of silent staring before Ember threw her hands up in frustration, walking away and grumbling about batshit crazy phantoms. Danny giggled as he only further curled around Randy, nuzzling at the side of his head. "Love you." And the beautiful pretty cute curls that were so fun and bouncy ooo he wondered how they'd look bouncing with Randy underneath him and glowing bright white.

"Love you, too. Even if your thoughts are _very_ clear on your face right now," Randy snorted, blushing only a touch as he nuzzled back. "Figured you deserved to see the curls in their full, _horrible_ glory at least once. Plus I _might've_ messed around with the illusion bracelet a bit to get my old sun freckles back. Cause I know you like freckles. But then, who doesn't."

"They're so cute and tiny and adorable like you." Danny was cuddling Randy as much as possible and no, he wouldn't be moving much. Not that he had the energy to if he wanted. Randy only snorted before picking the teen up and going off to find Andrew. And maybe snagging the glass he had been drinking from before he noticed him.

"You're reflexes are _still_ a tad too slow, remind me to have us work on that in our next training session." And, yes, this was good alcohol. Perfect. If he had curls, he had damn well better be getting some drinks out of it.

Andrew looked shocked for a moment before smiling and leaning against Randy. "I'll be sure to keep that in mind." He glanced to Danny, looking amused. "Randy, I think we've got a sleepy halfa on our hands."

"Hm? No, I'm fine, I'm awake." As he spoke, Danny quietly yawned and curled up tighter.

"Well, that _is_ a shame," Randy sighed dramatically. "I didn't even get the chance to tell you guys my super amazing plan for the tiny terrors."

"Oh? And what was _your_ plan?"

"Kidnap the itty bitties in the dead of night and have them wake up at Vidya in the room with all the Christmas-y stuff."

"...Randy, sweetie, you know I love you and care very much about you."

"But?"

"That's the worst fucking plan I've ever heard." Randy looked offended and ready to defend his plan before he gave a slow nod, and, right. Tiny itty bitties who scared easily and were quick to think the worst.

"I concede that it is indeed a stupid fucking plan. Alright, new plan, we wait until they're somewhat awake in the early morning, wake them up, and then _lead_ them to Vidya and the room with all the Christmas-y stuff."

Andrew nodded, kissing at the tip of Randy's nose. "It sounds perfect. Before that, though, I think we all could use a little sleep."

"Yes, that is a good idea. Because Danny is going to make it snow in the woods where they live tomorrow."

"I'm going to what."

"White christmas. Do it for the children, Danny."

"The children are demonic." A small pause, and a nod. "I'll do it."

"Now that _that_ is all settled," Andrew snorted, nudging the two along. "Let's get home, shall we? Before _someone_ passes out on us." There was a sudden 'THEY'RE ALL THREE TOGETHER' screamed from across the room, Andrew looking to Randy and Danny.

"Ember," Danny answered simply for the man. He leaned back against Randy, looking ready to fall asleep at any moment.

"It's fine," Randy waved off, linking arms with Andrew and kissing his cheek. "Now come on, Danny needs sleep and we have a few things left to prepare for the tiny ghostlings."

After all, those kids deserved at least _one_ good Christmas.


	45. British People And Their HAPPY Xmas

**Kit - Give me Merry Christmas, or give me...I dunno...mild scolding?**

 **Kas - I dunno, Happy Christmas sounds kinda nice now that I think about it.**

 **Kit - DOWN WITH THE TRAITOR! INTO THE HARBOR WITH YOU!**

 **Kas - Yeah, okay. I like tea.**

 **Kit - Traaaaitor.**

* * *

"Josh, wake up." To be fair, Josh was a very nervous child, and very easy to startle and panic into thinking terrible things were happening. So Andrew really should have _expected_ Josh to suddenly try to grab his sword and chop his head off. Really.

"...You moved my sword."

Andrew nodded, holding it out to him. "I did."

"Probably a good thing." Josh bypassed the sword and instead clung to Andrew, wrapping around him and yawning as he nuzzled close. "Merry Christmas."

"Happy Christmas," Andrew hummed back as he stood up straight and started to walk out of the cave. "We have a surprise for you three."

"Can I sleep until we get there?" It was less of a question, and more of a sleepy grumble, Randy and Danny already collecting the other two children.

"In a moment. Look around, Josh." Andrew was nudging him and shifting so the child would be able to see over his shoulder. Josh yawned and grumbled but did as told, blinking his eyes open, which then widened in shock.

"...Whoa." The _entire_ part of their forest was _covered_ with snow, some of it still falling. Annie had already flopped down into it and was giggling while trying to make a snow angel, Stacy roping Randy into making a snowman with her.

Andrew chuckled, tucking him closer. "Indeed. Do you want to go play with them?" Josh glanced over to the others before looking back to Andrew, voice rather quiet and weak.

"I...haven't played in the snow in a while." He didn't really... _do_ kid things. He mostly just took care of his sisters, not- He didn't play in the snow. He hadn't even done things like that much when human, either, due to...complications.

"Do you _want_ to?" Andrew asked again, giving him a smile.

"I dunno..." Josh wiggled out of Andrew's arms, floating down a little and stepping on the snow lightly before he was shooting back towards the other and clinging to his shirt. "'S cold." The man laughed quietly, ruffling Josh's hair and trying to let him go at his own pace.

"Snow typically is." The child stuck his tongue out before gently stepping on the snow again, this time waiting a few seconds before setting his full weight on the ground. Taking a slow step away from Andrew, he gave a bit of a smile.

He was then promptly tackled by Annie into a snowdrift. The girl laughed and giggled, stuffing snow down Josh's shirt before flying away to hide behind the snowman. "Josh's it!"

"That's it, you little-" Josh trailed off into some _very_ colorful French swear words as he flew up and shook the snow off of him, flying like a shot over towards Annie and tackling her to the ground. The two ended up rolling around and knocking Stacy over into the snowman, all off them officially covered in snow and freezing. "Annie's it!"

"Stacy's it," the youngest instantly shouted. Shivering slightly, she flew back over to Danny both to use as a shield, and as a heater. Josh didn't get very far in his escape since Stacy was _vicious_ , tackling him to the ground and sitting on him.

"Josh is it," Stacy nodded. "Josh is it for forever." At the phrasing, Randy was giving a pleased little smile, and, yes, good. His child.

"Staaace."

Andrew rolled his eyes as he scooped Josh up, tucking him close. "I'd rather you three _not_ freeze. Come on, Danny can make more at Vidya."

"Danny can what," the teen asked. Annie only gave a cheer, kissing Danny's cheek and nuzzling against him in sheer delight.

"Now she's expecting it," Randy pointed out, retrieving Stacy while Josh was already trying to burrow under Andrew's coat, purring at the warmth.

"First things first is some hot chocolate," Andrew pointed out. "Made by Danny."

"Aaaanddyyyy."

" _I'll_ make the hot chocolate," Randy rolled his eyes, teleporting them all to Vidya with a grin. " _Danny_ can make the fire, though."

"But _Danny_ makes the best hot chocolate." Andrew waved Danny away as he knelt beside the fire, throwing a couple logs in and letting Vidya do the rest.

"Excuse you, exactly _whose_ recipe is it to begin with?" Randy huffed, rolling his eyes as Danny pecked him on the cheek before taking Annie to the kitchen to help him make said hot chocolate. "He adds stuff to it I don't, is all."

"Exactly. Which makes it better." Andrew kissed Randy's other cheek before settling on the couch with Josh in his lap. "So, how often have you read Soundless Clock?"

"...Yes," Josh nodded, looking between Andrew and the fire before flying over to the fire and flopping down in front of it. "Um, like...over a hundred times? Probably? Or more?"

"Perfect." Andrew shifted and adjusted, laying on the couch with his head in Randy's lap, Stacy having flown over to sit next to her brother. Said brother was now half on the marble _of_ the fireplace, very close to going into it entirely. Vidya also might have been pestering Andrew to get his kid _before_ he burned to death like _he_ had. "Josh, stay out of the fireplace," Andrew hummed. Randy had the sense Vidya was saying 'very fucking helpful', in that moment.

"I mean...I'm not _in_ it," Josh pointed out, curling up into a little ball.

"Yes, you are. Or were." Andrew waved it off, curling around Randy. There was a quiet peaceful moment of Randy scratching at his scalp before there was a little thump on top of Andrew, a small creature wiggling under his arms and settling down on his chest.

"You're warmer."

"Not surprised." Andrew tucked the child closer with a hum, nuzzling against Randy's stomach.

"That would be because fire likes him _very_ much," Randy snickered, happily cuddling Stacy when she moved back to sit next to him, combing his fingers through her hair to try and tame it. There was the quiet sound of glass on wood, and then the peaceful silence was back.

"You know, there's presents." It was silent for all of two seconds. After that, there were three children clinging to Danny and looking at him with very pathetic puppy dog looks. "Ask Randy."

"Wha-" Randy didn't even get a word out before he was being tackled off of the _couch_ by the children, huffing as he stood up. "Alright, alright. Tiny impatient children. First door down that hall on the right."

As the three rushed off, Andrew smiled softly. "I'm glad we did this."

"Same," Randy smiled, raising an eyebrow as Josh doubled back, taking one of the cups of hot chocolate and sipping at it before rushing to catch up with his sisters. "That? That was adorable."

"Very much so." Andrew spread out over the couch, preparing to be tackled. Possibly to the ground.

"I give it five seconds," Randy nodded, looking amused as he took a sip from his own cup. "Five seconds and all three of us are getting tackled from just how _much_ stuff we put under that tree."

"Yeah, probably. Not including the stuff that was for us this morning." It turned out to be four seconds before all three kids were tackling their respective ghosts, Josh managing to clear out tackle Andrew to the ground before curling up to him tightly, purring as loud as could be with a book clutched tightly to his chest.

Andrew chuckled, holding Josh close as he nuzzled the top of his head. "I'm glad you like it."

"Thankyouthankyouthankyou _thankyouDaddy_." Josh was somehow managing to purr even louder, clinging to Andrew tightly and nuzzling at his cheek.

There was a long moment of silence in the room before Andrew was smiling and hugging him just as tight. "You're welcome, mon petit. Well? Go on. You have far more than that, after all." Josh was snatching Andrew by the shirt and dragging him to the room, Annie and Stacy doing much the same to the other two after their own thank yous.

It was near two hours later that Andrew was speaking up. "You know, if you want to, you can spend the night. There's a couple guest rooms, and Vidya's bound to be warmer than a cave, and-"

"Ya know, you really should have expected to be tackled by all _three_ of them," Randy pointed out, amused at the fact Andrew was now trapped under a tiny swarm of ghostlings.

"You know, I think I did." A pause and there was a doorbell-like chime in their heads, and an image of Jazz. "It's for you." Danny rolled his eyes but went to go answer the door anyways, not quite noticing the tiny ghostling that bounced after him. Randy only snorted, and, really, _adorable_.

"Hey, Jazz. Merry Christmas!"

"Hey, Danny. I just wanted to drop off... Well, who's this?" Jazz was kneeling down with a smile to look at Annie.

" _That_ is Annie, who I thought was in the other room. She and her siblings are visiting for Christmas." Danny glanced down at Annie, who was shyly hiding behind his legs and giving Jazz a little wave.

Jazz waved back at her. "Hi, I'm Jazz. I'm Danny's big sister."

"'M Annie." After a little nudge from Danny, the girl was flying around Jazz for a second before holding her arms out, looking as sweet and cute as could be. The woman smiled, and scooped her up in a hug.

"Your innocent act isn't fooling me." The response was a confused tilt of the head, eyes wide and innocently curious. "I've grown up with Danny my whole life, sweetie."

"Yup. She's see through it all," Danny chuckled, amused as Annie gave a huff before slumping against Jazz, looking every inch the bratty child she was. "So, you wanna stay for a little bit? I just made a fresh batch of hot chocolate~"

"Are you sure you're gonna have enough? That's already hot chocolate for six children," Jazz teased as she walked into the library. Danny rolled his eyes, closing the doors and following after her.

"Ha, ha, ha. Come on, you and Annie can help me carry it to the study room we're in. Also the one that's lurking in the shadows and watching you is Josh- Josh, this is Jazz, she's my sister."

"Hmph, I wouldn't give away _your_ hiding spots," Josh grumbled, crossing his arms and looking pouty.

Jazz shrugged as she followed after Danny. "He does it to everyone. Oh," she hummed as she handed a box over to Josh. "Would you mind taking that to Andrew and Randy for me?"

Josh gave a silent nod, flying back into the room and holding the box out to Andrew. "Jazz said to give this to you and Randy." Once the box was handed over, Josh was moving to hang off of Andrew's back, curiously leaning over his shoulder and batting at it. "What's in it?"

"The point of a present is to figure it out." Andrew opened the box, remaining perfectly silent before handing the box over to Randy. At Josh's giggling and Andrew's silence, Randy cautiously took the box, glancing inside before closing it and sliding it out of sight.

"That woman is far too cruel," Randy grumbled, slight blush on his face as he tried to stifle Stacy's giggles. "Shush, tiny ghostling child." Danny and Jazz entered the room a moment later, cups in hand and tiny Annie on the teen's back.

"Hot chocolate?" Josh crouched down behind Andrew a little bit, watching Jazz a touch warily. Stacy, however, was bouncing up, rambling off a hundred words a second, and happily reaching for the hot chocolate. Jazz passed a cup to Stacy, and two to Andrew as she settled down herself on the couch. Andrew took the cups and handed one off to Josh, looking amused.

It was a few moments before Josh zoomed around to tuck himself in Andrew's lap, taking the cup and sipping on it with a little purr. Jazz only raised an eyebrow to Danny, looking _vastly_ amused. Danny gave a shrug, and a gesture to Annie as a somewhat 'I'll tell you later.' "So, what's been going on at home?"

"Mom and Dad tried to get Vlad to throw a Christmas Party." There was a snort of laughter from Randy, at that, who was using his powers to make wrapping paper attack Stacy and Annie.

"Seriously? How'd _that_ turn out?"

"Surprisingly, rather party-less."

"A good thing, all considered," Andrew chuckled, scratching at Josh's scalp almost absently. The small child was purring loudly and pressed up against Andrew in delight, a ball of happy fluffy ghostling. Jazz's eyebrow only raised further as she looked to Danny. As far as she remembered, Andrew wasn't fond of kids.

Danny gave a little shrug, and a small wave, and, yeah, he'd _definitely_ be explaining later. But, really now, it was hardly _his_ fault all the kids were so adorable and cuddly and cute. "Randy, hun, what are you doing."

"...Nothin'." Randy paused from where he was teasing Josh with a piece of ribbon, the ghostling's eyes riveted to it, and body curled up like he was ready to pounce. Andrew had by now taken his cup so it didn't spill. "It's not like I'm being _cruel_. I'm just-" Josh pounced.

Jazz laughed, shaking her head. "You three are certainly something. How's your Christmas been going, so far, then?"

"It's great!" Annie beamed, happily tackling Danny in another hug. "'S best Christmas ever." Josh, who had successfully stolen the ribbon, happily pranced back to Andrew, tying the ribbon around his neck before smiling sweetly.

"You were the best Christmas gift."

Danny gave a laugh of his own as he hugged Annie close, looking up at Andrew. "I can definitely agree with that."

Andrew rolled his eyes, scooping Josh up and holding him upside down. "You two are absolute brats." Josh only grinned, wiggling around and clinging to Andrew, nuzzling against his neck.

"You love it," Danny teased, Randy trying to keep the box Jazz had given them hidden with Stacy trying to bring it out into the open. "Definitely one of the best Christmases yet."

::

"Where do we sleep?"

"That is a good question," Randy nodded at Annie, Stacy on his own shoulders. "Guest bedroom? Or bedrooms, if you guys wanna sleep in your own beds, but it's fine if you want to share." He knew he had slept in Andrew's bed more often than not in the Sect days. Annie blinked at them, clinging tightly to Danny's arm.

Andrew looked amused as he shook his head. "What would you three prefer?" There was a moment of silence with all three of the children seeming to be silently debating something, Josh tugging on Andrew's shirt, finally.

"Is sleeping in your guys' room an option? Like on the floor, or something, maybe?" Ruffling Josh's hair, Andrew tugged them along.

"I think we can arrange something. And since you have those pajamas you three may want to change into them." Josh nodded, nudging his sisters along back to the study room where they had left all of their things. By the time they returned, it was with the lions. Mufasa carrying Josh in his mouth, Sasha carrying Annie in hers, and Stacy happily sitting on top of Sasha.

"Well. The lions like them, at least," Randy pointed out, a bit amused at seeing Annie swinging in Sasha's grip, and Josh curled up into a tiny ball of terror because no, what, what was happening, this was terrifying.

Andrew rolled his eyes as he nudged Mufasa, taking Josh from the lion gently. "Honestly, must you show off to everyone that walks through those doors?" Mufasa only wagged his tail a little, reaching up enough to lick Andrew on the cheek. With a quiet sigh, Andrew tucked Josh closer and carried him to the bedroom, setting the child down on the bed. "If it helps matters, they do the same to Danny."

"Why do you have stone creatures of death and destruction." Josh flinched a little as Mufasa sniffed him, relaxing after a few long moments of nothing bad happening. Cautiously patting the head, he gave a nod. "Good evil creature of darkness."

"They came with the lair." Andrew scratched behind Mufasa's ear, looking amused as the lion relaxed. "This one's Mufasa, and that one is Sasha." Randy was only wrestling with Sasha to get Annie back, who was giggling quietly. "...Danny named them."

"I figured," Josh hummed, patting Mufasa again before curling up a little. "So, ah...where are we sleeping?"

"Well, if you want, we have enough room on the bed, I'm sure." A glance showed Stacy had already flopped over to curl up on the pillows with Danny, the two looking quite pleased with themselves. Nodding, Josh held his arms out to Andrew. Andrew quietly laughed as he scooped Josh into his arms, and laid down on his side of the bed. "You three are certainly something." Because really. Andrew had never really seen himself as the _fatherly_ type, but...

"Goes both ways," Josh pointed out, smiling as he nuzzled under Andrew's chin, and, yes...maybe they'd visit Vidya a lot more often. "You three are certainly something, too." Adjusting, Andrew moved until he was laying half on top of Danny's side, nuzzling at the teen's cheek.

"It's part of our appeal." Danny gave a little purr, Randy and Annie settling down on the bed as well with the lights flicking off.

"Best Christmas ever," Annie yawned, curling up on top of Danny and looking tired but delighted.

"Definitely the best Christmas ever."

"Merry Christmas."

"Happy Christmas."


	46. Water Slide

**Kit - Waves of Fun, Waves of Fun, WAVES OF FUN.**

 **Kas - You do realize no one's going to understand that.**

 **Kit - But those that do live near me. It's a test.**

 **Kas - So like six people tops?**

 **Kit - Nah. Just one. Maybe half.**

* * *

Danny suddenly narrowed his eyes, looking up from his book to the empty room. "...Randy, what are you doing." A long silence, and then a white bubble formed around him, Randy sitting on top of it.

"Sooo, how would you like to go on a job with me?" Randy gave a little tap to the bubble, looking rather amused.

Grinning widely, Danny flew to the top of the bubble, looking up at Randy. "Depends. What kind of a job would this be?" Randy gave a little hum, stretching out across the bubble before flopping down on top of it, looking like a spoiled and pampered pet with a favorite toy.

"Retrieval. Two days at the most, three at the latest. Have to go to an uncharted biome, find this 'mystical cave' bullshit nonsense, and retrieve an ancient artifact from it. It's a collector from the marketplace who contracted me. The one that deals with ancient weapons." A small shrug, Randy looking a touch nervous. "I thought that maybe...you'd like to come with."

"No, no, it sounds really fun!" Danny's tail was near wagging as he looked to Randy. "When do we go?" He needed to grab his sword, they'd probably need to bring food and water...

"I dunno. Ten minutes? Now?" Randy let the bubble fade as he flopped on top of Danny, nuzzling under his chin. "I was planning now."

"Mmkay, just gimme _one_ sec." Danny hopped up and gave Randy a kiss to the cheek before he was whizzing off towards the bedroom, and coming back a moment later. "Alright, I'm ready!"

Seeing the sword, Randy nodded before he was flicking his hands, catching his guns and holstering them in a quick flick. "Good, besides, this job is mostly to help me get used to my guns again. I gave them a bit of an...upgrade."

"Oooh, like what?" Danny was flying and flitting here and there at Randy's side, looking interested. Randy held one out for him to inspect, smiling a bit.

"They _were_ revolvers, but I worked on them a little to make them into pistols. These guns have the best handling I've ever been able to find, and I _did_ kind of get attached to them. Thing is, channeling my energy into guns to form bullets means limitless ammo _and_ complete silence. So, I combined the best of both worlds, and all that." When Randy next glanced over, there were green sparks around the gun, and a bright green glow around the gun's chamber and-

A flash and Danny and the gun were in separate bubbles, Randy looking more than slightly panicked and like the gun was about to explode at any moment. When nothing happened, the older was cautiously poking at the bubble with the gun. "...The fuck."

The teen tilted his head quizzically. "Randy? What's up?" A few more pokes and Randy was breaking his bubbles, catching Danny and the gun with a startled little look.

"Huh...well then... There's a safety mechanism on the guns, so other ghosts can't use them. If they try, well, think explosion. The fact your energy was channeled into it and nothing happened... Huh." A shake of his head, Randy pecking Danny on the cheek. "You're certainly unexpected, little kitten." Danny purred at the name, nuzzling against Randy and wrapping his tail around the man's waist.

"Shouldn't we be going on that mission?" Randy hummed, giving him a quick kiss before nodding.

"Job, love. Don't really do missions anymore. Now, hold on tight. The place we need to teleport to is a _bit_ far."

"Mm, alright."

::

"Well, this should be the place of entry," Randy mused, Danny floating beside him as he looked around. The place they were in was a lush, beautiful forest. Instead of green everywhere, however, there was _blue_. The rivers and lakes and ponds in sight, as well, were all made up of water that was purple. "Or at least, that's what the guy said."

"Woah..." Danny was clinging tightly to Randy as he looked around, blinking in amazement. "It's _gorgeous._ "

"Mm...I should take you and Andy to more biomes," Randy mused, nudging Danny to look around. "Just don't _eat_ anything without telling me, first, but you can explore a little."

"Yeah, yeah okay. How come the water's _purple?_ " He'd never much _seen_ water in the Ghost Zone, so it was a bit odd for him. He floated a bit closer to one of the ponds, looking down at the water with a soft smile.

"Most of the water in the Ghost Zone is either pink or purple," Randy hummed, looking around the area and taking note of everything. "Around the beaches and stuff it's mostly pink, but in lush areas like this? It's purple, more than anything." There was a quiet splashing sound from the pond, Danny looking back down curiously.

A split moment later and a rather giant creature with teeth and spikes was lunging at him from out of it, a thick white bubble trapping it in a moment and keeping the creature from moving. "The biomes, by the way? There are a few nasty creatures left over from the old days of the Spirit World." Randy was giving a feral grin, looking wickedly amused. "There's a reason I get contracted to come here, when no one else will."

Instead of cautious or scared, Danny was only running a hand over the bubble, looking curious. "They're not nasty. Probably just lonely." After all, if no one came to these areas, anymore...

"Perhaps," Randy hummed, watching the creature try to escape before he was gently setting it back in the pond. "But there are some creatures that are as dangerous as any one of us, and have no qualms about killing or attacking."

"This one's not one of them, though." Danny liked to think he had a good judgment of character. Most likely, this creature was just startled from seeing him and trying to protect itself. True to Danny's words, the creature swam around it's pond, peeking up at him before deciding he wasn't a threat and disappearing back into the depths.

"No, guess not," Randy chuckled, nudging Danny and gesturing towards a barely seen cave behind a group of vines. "That should be the cave we need." Danny flew over to the vines, holding them open for Randy with a grin.

"After you, my prince." Randy rolled his eyes, seeming amused as he flew in before snagging Danny and dragging him in after.

"Oh, no, please. After you, my King, I insist." A little nudge forward. "Just don't go too far out of sight, yeah?"

The teen nodded, remaining wrapped around Randy's arm. "Yeah, I know." A sweet kiss to the cheek and Randy was leading and nudging them along, stopping a few seconds here and there to check the cave walls.

"Ghost Zone physics don't really follow human world physics, as you've seen. Caves like these, you can always tell where they're going by studying the walls. Smoother it is, the farther down they're going, the rougher, the closer to the surface. For the room we need, it's probably as far down as we can get." Danny gave a small nod, only continuing to cling to Randy and maybe quietly purr.

It was a few minutes of peaceful silence before there was the faintest sound of a slither. A flash of movement and scales and Randy was snatching his gun and firing a bright white shot, silence reigning once more. "Remember when I said there are some things left over from the old days of the Spirit World? The cave ones are the worst." Danny fell silent as he nodded, watching the cave carefully.

He quietly whispered, " _Did you kill it?_ " Randy nodded, glancing around again before holstering his gun.

"Once those things sense spectral energy, they don't stop until they get whatever they're after. And what they want isn't exactly tea time," Randy snorted, nudging Danny along. "With our power levels, I'm surprised one of them attacked us at all."

Danny glanced up to him. "Why would that affect it? Wouldn't they come after us _because_ of our high power levels?"

"No, they're nasty, but kind of cowardly. They usually just go after weaker things, like each other." Randy gave a small shrug, nudging Danny along and making sure they were on the right track. "Our power levels are stronger, so we'll be okay except for the really bad ones, and those I can take care of pretty easily." The halfa nodded, following Randy and doing his best to follow his words to the letter.

Another minute or two of silence, Randy kissing the teen's temple and giving him a bit of a smile. "It doesn't have to be all serious, ya know. The jobs can be kind of fun- Just think of it like an adventure. 'Sides, I know you can handle yourself better than anyone."

"...I know." Danny kissed at his cheek, and gave it a small nuzzle. "What exactly are we looking for?"

"Lance, I think. One of the older weapons formed during the First King's reign. The weapons from that time are a lot more powerful." Pausing at seeing a perfect slope downwards, with water running down it from the run-off, Randy glanced to Danny. "Tell me you're thinking the same thing I am."

"Oh hell yes." Danny hopped onto the slope with a grin, calling back to Randy. "So, who wants this lance, anyway?"

"Like I said, the dude's a collector," Randy laughed, jumping after him and perfectly balancing himself to slide down the slope on his feet. "Collects a bunch of this stuff and sells it to whoever can afford it."

"If this is supposed to be super powerful, are we sure we can trust him with it?"

"Honestly? I wouldn't trust anyone with these weapons, wanna know a bright side, though?" Randy gave a bit of a grin. "For the really old weapons, you can't use their full potential anymore. Ghosts don't know how to mold their power to it. Spirits, sure. Like you with that sword of yours, and me with my guns. Average ghost? No idea how to use it."

"Oh, good!" When their slope was starting to even out, Danny called back to him. "Ride's over!"

"Wanna know the really fun parts of these slopes?" Randy called back, wicked grin back on his face. "There's always a drop off from the water smoothing things out! Watch your step!" Danny grinned back at him, just as wickedly. His hand glowing blue, the water under his feet turned to ice as he slid down.

"Woohoo!" Randy yelped as he lost his balance, skidding down the ice before the two were dropping off into a rather large hole and straight down. Darting forward, Randy snatched Danny before getting their balance back, floating in the air and trying not to show his amusement.

"That? That was rude. Hilarious, but rude."

"That was _great!_ " Danny snuggled closer, grinning with a childish sort of excitement as he looked up to Randy.

"Well, you're not wrong," Randy chuckled, blinking at hearing a splashing sound. A splashing sound that came directly below them in complete darkness. "So, my dear little kitten. This is where things start to get _really_ fun."

"Let's _do this._ "

::

"Aaandy, we're home! I forgot to tell you that I kidnapped Danny for a job but he probably mentioned it!" Randy called, carrying in an exhausted and giggling Danny to the study room Andrew was in. "We were victorious and brought you a present of some ancient scrolls."

Andrew sighed, shaking his head at the two of them. "A little warning would have been nice."

Danny fell into Andrew's lap, curling around him and purring. "Fun fun fun, Randy fun and adventure and fun~"

"See? Danny had fun," Randy snorted, setting a few scrolls down on the desk before falling to rest against Andrew, humming happily. "Plus it's good to let him see some of the older biomes." Spirit King, and all that.

Rolling his eyes, Andrew tucked the two of them closer. "Well, I'm glad you two had fun. And neither of you are hurt? You're both alright?"

"We're fine, just a few bumps and bruises and the normal stuff that'll heal in the next day," Randy waved off, nuzzling against Andrew and kissing at his neck. "It was fun."

"Hm, just give me a little more warning next time, oui?" Danny and Randy only settled more against Andrew, seeming quite content to take a nap where they were. Although Randy _did_ give a little noise of agreement, and, yes, warning. Totally. Andrew kissed Danny's cheek first, then Randy's, and settled down for a quick nap himself.

Really, these two were something. Still, that was a good thing, all considered, he supposed.


	47. Andrew Is The New Supervillain

**Kit - So, when we say Flamel was flamin', does that mean he was incrediably gay? Cause, I mean, being immortal gives you time to appreicate others.**

 **Kas - But for how long was he immortal?**

 **Kit - ...Let's be honest, probably a few decades- Okay, so what if there was a reason his alchemy research turned up _long_ after he 'died'?**

 **Kas - Enjoy the chapter.**

* * *

"Woah, wait, what?"

"Well, you always seemed interested," Andrew shrugged, seeming rather amused by Danny's reaction. "I thought I'd ask in case you _did_ want to learn."

"Well _duh._ " Danny was grinning, wrapping around Andrew tightly and snuggling close, nuzzling at his neck. "I just didn't think you'd ever offer, cause you always thought it was too dangerous."

"Oh, trust me, alchemy is _very_ dangerous, but I see no harm in teaching you the basics," Andrew chuckled, returning the hug and tucking the teen under his chin. "Besides, maybe this way I can get you to stop making Flamel puns so often."

"Oh, Andy, come on. We both know the truth." Danny kissed the underside of his jaw. "I'm never going to stop making Flamel puns. They're too _flamin'._ " There was a heavy sigh of complete and utter pain, Andrew tugging Danny along to his usual room for alchemy.

"Why must you constantly cause me pain... Alright, come on. We'll start simple with changing metals and such. With your _very_ wonderful background in science, it shouldn't be too hard to catch on."

"So does it have to do with the elements themselves, or the atoms that they're made of? How do ions come into effect? Are we gonna do the golden penny trick?"

"It has to do with mostly the atoms, but the elements play an important role themselves. It's a bit of a balancing act. I have a few books I'll show you that can go into far better detail than I can, and what on _earth_ is the golden penny trick?"

"...You poor innocent child. Come. I will teach you." Andrew rolled his eyes but followed after him. One short experiment later that involved a poor penny and some zinc, and Andrew was raising an eyebrow.

"Cute. Would you like to learn how to turn it into _actual_ gold?"

"Whaaat? That was legit alchemy! And it's neat!" Danny was pouting up at Andrew, looking like a small child.

"Sure, sure, it's very 'neat'. I'm just saying, it seems like learning to turn it into _actual_ gold would be more helpful. Granted you would have to melt it down in order to rid it of the mint marks in order to sell it at face value, but still."

At that, Danny was raising an eyebrow. "Uh huh." Andrew was only gathering a few things, rustling around before pulling out a little jar of pennies and a few other supplies.

"You know, you'd be surprised by how often people throw pennies out," the ghost remarked, seeming rather amused.

"...Andy, how exactly is it that you get money?" There was a moment of silence, Andrew fidgeting with one of the coins.

"By bending the laws of physics and selling the gold I get from it?" Danny was clinging to him again, quietly purring.

"Mine." A quiet chuckle, Andrew running a hand through Danny's hair and scratching at the scalp. Definitely a more positive reaction when he told people about bending physics and their laws.

"Yes, yes, yours. Now, let me teach you the _true_ golden penny trick."

::

"It's mine! _Mine!_ Muahaha! All the gold shall be mine!" There was a small cough by the door, Randy slowly raising an eyebrow at seeing Andrew and Danny were working at a table that was covered with gold and small change in equal amounts.

"So, is there a new supervillain we should be worrying about?"

Danny grinned widely at Randy, holding up one of the gold pieces. " _Gold._ "

"I can see that." Flying over, Randy tried to soothe down Andrew's hair. It was a bit of a lost cause, but he _tried_. "This is why I worry for you two. Teach someone alchemy and they become a mad scientist."

" _I can do anything._ " The teen's tail was wagging and flicking as he stared down at the gold, already setting about trying to make more.

"Well, not anything," Randy snorted, trying to drag Danny away from the table. "Are there any more eldritch horrors I should be worrying about? Like last time." He shot a look to Andrew.

Andrew brushed it off with a careless grin. "No, no, nothing like that. I've only been teaching him the basics!"

"Maybe we should take a _break_...you know, fresh air, food, rest. Anything but destroying the laws of physics and tearing them into scraps to build something new?"

"Ah, but we've barely been at it! It hasn't even been an hour, think of everything else we can get done!"

"It's been four hours," Randy pointed out, keeping Danny pinned and looking at Andrew with amusement. "So, ya know, no more raising up eldritch creatures and all that." A sudden pause, Randy looking like he had a thought. "...Have you ever tried using your _ghost_ powers with some of the recipes? Like, small amounts of ectoplasm?" There was a long silence before Andrew was turning to Randy with a large, near maniacal grin. "I...should not have said that, I think. Now, Andy, let's not do anything crazy-"

"Out! Both of you, out!" Andrew was already shooing the two out the door, locking it behind them. There was a bit of silence in the hallway, Randy looking down to Danny.

"Sooo...how was your first alchemy lesson?"

Danny grinned up at him with a spark in his eye. "It was great."

"So, let's just...leave him here. We'll send in reinforcements for him later. Probably."

"Like the lions?"

"Yes, Danny. The lions." The tone was sarcastic and drawled out, Randy rolling his eyes.

::

When Andrew heard a knock on the door, he barely even stopped in his work. "Who is it?"

"It's Josh." There was another small knock. "Randy said it was time for dinner. Do you...want me to go tell him you're busy?" The voice was rather quiet, and a bit unsure.

"Mm, come in," Andrew hummed, sounding as though he'd barely processed any of the words. A small pause and the door was opening, Josh poking his head in and hesitantly flying over to float next to Andrew.

"Stacy and Annie wanted to come visit, and Randy invited us for dinner. He said it'd be done soon and to come get you."

"Mmkay." Just four drops... There! Perfect! Purple liquid with a cinnamon scent. Now he just had to... There was the sound of rustling around for a bit, and then a small sensation on his finger. A glance down showed there was now a band-aid wrapped around the finger he had used to get ectoplasm, Josh floating beside him a bit worriedly. That caused Andrew to give pause, glancing to Josh with a smile. "Hi, Josh. When did you get here?"

"You...said to come in, um, Randy. And dinner, and, few minutes ago? But dinner is now, but, um...yeah." Josh curled up a little, legs forming into a tail that curled around his body. "Are you alright?"

"Hm? Nonono, I'm fine, just a little wrapped up in things- Did you know that adding ectoplasm to chemical equations can cause drastic changes?"

"Wouldn't...that be because most chemical equations are geared towards elements found on earth, but ectoplasm is a completely unique substance from a different world, and so there's no documented reactions to any of it?" At the look, Josh shrunk up a little more. "Or something."

"Exactly," Andrew burst out with a wide grin, flying all around the room and rambling off this or that effect and how he'd learned to use alchemy and what he did with it. Josh quietly sat down on the edge of the table, listening to him and only understanding every other word. "Isn't it amazing?!"

"Y...es?" At least, the parts he understood. He only knew the _basics_ of things like alchemy, nothing...as advanced as Andrew did. He was about to say more before there was a tiny growling noise, and, oh, right, hungry. He would just now curl up into a teeny tiny ball of embarrassment.

Andrew looked down, tilting his head. "Josh, haven't you eaten?"

"...Randy sent me down here to get you for dinner."

"Oh! Then we have to get you fed!" Andrew scooped Josh up in his arms, humming happily as he flew down to the kitchen. Josh blinked, curling up in Andrew's arms a bit and leaning against him.

"The alchemy thing sounded really cool, though." A small pat to the bandaged finger. "Just be careful with the whole blood thing."

"Ectoplasm," Andrew corrected. "Very different."

"It's something that keeps you living, in a way," Josh pointed back out. "So it's like ghost blood, and loosing too much of it...isn't very fun."

"Oh, Josh. It was only four drops, for that experiment! I'll be fine!" Andrew sat down at the kitchen table, nuzzling against the child and looking as though nothing could go wrong.

"For _that_ experiment. Different ones would need different amounts, and eventually it might end up being one drop more and that one drop more might end up being one drop _too_ much." Josh gave another tiny pat to the hand, because, really. He liked Andrew and _really_ didn't want to see him _dead_. "So just be careful."

"You worry far too much, mon petit. It'll be fine." Josh was quiet for a moment, watching the chaos of the kitchen as Randy tried to serve their food with _three_ children hanging off of him and hounding him for food.

"Can you just...put a limit on how much you'll use at one time? Just in case?" A small shift, Josh's voice quieting. "I don't want you getting hurt."

"Mm, alright, alright, if you really want." He knew _exactly_ how much blood he could lose before passing out. And it probably transferred over to the same amount as a ghost!

"Promise?" Josh gave the most childish look he could, looking honestly worried as one hand clung to Andrew's shirt.

"Promise," Andrew grinned, tucking Josh closer. From over Andrew's shoulder, Josh was giving Randy a thumps-up with a wicked grin, Randy snickering, and, yes. This child was getting extra cookies. Andrew hummed, looking over towards Randy with a wicked grin of his own and really? This was his best reinforcements? He'd have to try a lot harder than that next time.


	48. He's a Poet and He Knows It

**Kit - ...I can't think of anything clever to say becuase I just got to the most badass part of the story while proof-reading.**

 **Kas - I think Randy just needs to chill out.**

 **Kit - ...I'm so upset at you right now.**

 **Kas - Yeah, the way they train is pretty cool.**

 **Kit - w h y**

* * *

"Alright, new element." Randy was giving a wave of his hand, still trying to catch his breath from the hand-to-hand combat they had just completed. "Escape my shields."

"Can I use Geneva," Danny asked with a small grin. The older seemed to think about it for a second before giving a sharp nod.

"Yes, magical swords and daggers allowed. Only goal is to break out of the shield and get me downed before I can form more. If I manage to form another one around you, it continues until one of you downs me. Ready?" Danny looked to Andrew, giving an excited nod and a quiet sneeze. Andrew gave a wicked grin that spoke of plans and calculations.

"Ready." A sharp flick of Randy's hand and two thick bubble shields were around them, Randy grinning and giving a dramatic bowing gesture.

"Let's begin, then."

" _The moment he rose, his concentration broke. The shields shattering as the author spoke, nice try dear wolf, but not quite enough, for this little challenge was not at all tough._ " The shields remained strong as they were, Randy shifting to sit down on the ground and grinning with amusement.

"I didn't rise, Andy. Strong enough ghost can work around your words and break the story. I thought you learned that with Danny?"

Danny laughed, the laugh turning into a rattling cough as he slowly sat down in his shield. "That was hilarious." Danny laughed again, coughing and uttering a quiet 'ow.' Andrew only raised an eyebrow at Danny, looking a touch concerned.

"I can't tell if you're faking to get a rise out of Randy, quite literally, or you're just getting sick and didn't tell us before we started." Randy seemed to be the same, looking just as concerned.

"I'm half _ghost,_ " the teen pointed out. "I don't get sick." Hide the coughs, this was fun. He poked at the shield with his sword, narrowing his eyes.

"You're also half _human_ ," Randy pointed out, giving a huff. "...Alright, after the shield thing we're gonna rest to make _sure_ you're 'not sick'. 'Sides, we got a lot done today, anyways."

"Aww, but I'm having fun!" As he spoke, he tapped into his ice powers until ice was crawling around the shield and _shielding_ him from sight.

"See, now, _that_ is impressive," Randy pointed out, shivering fiercely and looking like he just had snow shoved down the back of his shirt. "Also pretty fucking powerful if it's channeling from my energy to _me_." Goddamn fucking ice core ghosts. They heard another laugh-turned-cough until it sounded as though it were getting quieter. Randy was shivering even more, curling up a little and _cold_. "Nice try, mon douce, but after winters in England and France, this isn't much." That was a lie he felt like he just got tossed into the Far Frozen _naked_.

Andrew snickered, looking entirely too amused as he glanced to the shield Danny was in, and...normally he would have replied with one of his witty retorts, but there was just...silence. And...look at that. Ice was starting to creep on the _outside_ of the shield. Randy was constantly shivering at this point, somehow looking _paler_ than he normally did. It was another minute or two before Randy was darting up and flying around the room in a blur of speed to _try_ and get warm. "Hah!" The sounds of ice shattering, and Danny was grinning up at the two, looking proud of himself as he tackled Randy to the ground.

"I win." Andrew's shield had broken as well, the poem having still been in effect. Randy was only whining and squirming and trying to curl up, legs formed into his tail for once as he shivered and why was it so _cold_. Jesus fucking _Christ_ he didn't think it would have been _that_ bad but _fucking freezing as fuck_. Danny giggled as he wrapped around Randy, trying to hide his coughs. "Aww, do you have a cold, pet?"

"You are far too cruel to him," Andrew tsked, trying not to laugh as Randy _clung_ to Danny, shivering fiercely and trying to latch onto a source of warmth. "Huh...I didn't think that would cause him to be _this_ cold."

"Yeah, neither did I..." Danny frowned as he nudged Randy up, trying to get him to stand. Andrew rolled his eyes and teleported them to the sitting room, in front of the fireplace. Vidya was already starting the fire and giving fretful hums in their heads.

"'M fine," Randy complained, curling around Danny and keeping him pinned near the fireplace. "And you. Those were coughs. You are now on bedrest until we see how bad it is. Or something- Fuck, how fucking _cold_ is your ice core." Danny looked down at his chest, giving a shrug.

"It shouldn't have affected you, that much. You're acting like I nearly froze your _core._ " There was a sudden noise from Andrew, who paused from where he had been throwing a rather heavy blanket over the two.

"A ghost's energy _is_ part of their core, though, especially when kept active. If you're sick, and your powers got away from you, that might explain why it was so reactive."

"...Oh." Danny was tucking himself closer to Randy, his tail curling around himself as he curled up into a small ball. He didn't _know-_ He knew his powers sometimes got away from him, but never _that_ much.

"Quit that." Randy was flicking his tail out to curl it around Danny's, tucking the teen closer to him and nuzzling their cheeks together. "Quit the guilt and self-sacrificing hero-complex things. I'm fine, yeah? Just a bit cold and I'm already near warmed up. 'Sides, _any_ ghost that gets sick loses control of their power. We should have been more alert after hearing your coughs."

The teen only shrugged, his tail still flicking anxiously. Knowing him, he didn't blame them a bit for thinking he was faking. "Sorry."

"Mon cher, you have nothing to be sorry for. We're just quick to think things like that when in a fight. Do you know how many times we've pretended we were mortally wounded to catch the other off-guard?" A quiet snort from Randy at Andrew's words.

"Or _actually_ hurt each other and hid it? These things happen, especially with powers like ours, and how strong we are. It's something to be cautious of, but not guilty."

Danny tucked himself closer to Randy, tugging Andrew down towards them. "I might...maybe...be a little bit...sick."

"Now, was that so hard," Randy gently teased, kissing at Danny's cheek. "Although we don't know if it's a human or ghost cold, yet...we'll rest here for a bit longer before taking your vitals and making some soup, okay?"

"Besides, I would _hate_ to deprive Randy of his newest cuddle toy," Andrew snickered, scratching at Danny's scalp and ignoring Randy's betrayed look.

Danny huffed as he curled up again, closer to Andrew because _warm warm warm._ "I'm still going to class, tomorrow."

"Fine, as long as you know we'll be spoiling you the next few days _relentlessly_ ," Andrew chuckled, not too surprised when Randy snatched him and dragged him to the middle of the new cuddle pile. "Really? On the _floor_?"

"Ssh, you're the warmest," Randy hummed, nuzzling at Andrew's neck and yeeessss. _Warmth_.

"So, what do we do if it's a _ghost_ sickness?" Danny was looking up at them curiously, his tail tightening around Randy's and finally relaxing.

"Tonics," Randy yawned, the heat of both Andrew and the fireplace making him completely lethargic and cuddly, the man near lying completely on top of Andrew. "'S some tonics I make with ghosty plant stuff. It'll clear up whatever it is, and stuff, and...and...so warm." Andrew rolled his eyes, tucking Randy closer and pulling the blanket further over him.

Danny gave a fond smile as he laid his head on Andrew's chest, calming at the warmth and the sound of his core thrumming. "Okay. Whatever you two think is best."

"Well, for right now I think that's a nap," Andrew chuckled, pulling Danny a bit closer as well. "And then we'll see how bad your cold is. And Randy, most likely, will make some chicken noodle soup."

"Mmkay."

::

As it turned out, Danny did not have a cold. He had the ghost equivalent of the flu.

"So...how do you feel about missing school, for a bit?"

"No, no, I'll be fine. I can still go- Besides, I have that project."

"Danny, your temperature is 97 degrees," Andrew sighed, pushing Danny back down on the bed from where he had been trying to get up. "That's a five degree fever."

"Yeah, but for humans, it's a one degree cold," the teen pointed out as he tried to rise from where he was lying down.

"You're not human," Randy pointed out, keeping Danny down while Andrew finished taking the rest of the vitals. "This the equivalent of you being at 102 degrees. That's dangerous, and worrying. You need to rest, and we need to make up some tonics for you. I'm sorry, but you can't go to school for the next few days."

At that, Danny was shooting up to sitting. "Few days?! I can't miss that much school! They'll flunk me! They'll expel me! They'll-"

" _Danny_ ," Randy snapped, getting the teen's attention before cupping his cheek and making his voice soft and gentle. "Listen to me, okay? It's not high school, it's college. They don't take away from your grade for missing classes. Listen, Lyla is your friend and has the same schedule you do, right? She can record the lectures for you. I'll pick them up from her at the end of the day, and your work, and we can go over it together here. Then Lyla can turn it from you and we'll do that for as long as necessary. I've seen your syllabus, you don't have any labs or classes you _need_ to attend until two weeks from now, and if you rest you'll be better by the end of this week."

"But... But..." Danny sighed, flopping back onto the bed and looking _weak and pathetic._ "Alright. I can't get you two sick, right?"

"No, I'll be making enough of that tonic for us to take, too," Randy assured, Andrew pulling the blanket back over Danny and setting a cold washcloth on his forehead, a little ice pack wrapped up inside it. "So that'll prevent us from getting this, too. It'll take two tonics a day for the next five days to make sure you're over it, though."

Danny let his eyes flutter closed and he was silent for a long moment before slowly raising his arms towards Andrew. "Cuddles." Andrew blinked before giving a soft smile, shifting things aside and settling down to pull Danny into a light hug.

"Don't worry, mon cher, we'll get you back to full health in no time at all." Andrew flicked his eyes to Randy, who nodded before pecking the two on their cheeks and leaving the room. He had _quite_ a few tonics to make, for the next few days.


	49. The Wolf, the Sick Halfa, and the Closet

Kit - Annie will one day find Narnia. She swears it.

Kas - It's such a surprise you wrote Annie. Truly.

Kit - Isn't it just?

* * *

A light thump landed on Danny, waking him from his nap. A look showed it to be a happily smiling Annie, "Randy made me drink this nasty juice stuff before he let me come see you, but it's worth it because you're you and perfect."

Danny gave a small smile as he hugged her close, lightly nuzzling at the top of her head. "Hey there, sweetie. What are you doing here?"

"We decided to visit because you guys are the bestest. That and Josh was looking mopey, and when he's mopey, the best thing to cheer him up is Andy. That and I really, really, really, really, really, _really_ missed you." Annie cuddled up to Danny, curling up to him and giving purrs of delight.

"Yeah, sorry about that. I got a little sick. But don't worry, it's almost gone." He ran a hand through her hair as best he could before giving a quiet laugh. "Your hair's a wreck, little wild child."

"Yours is wreckier," Annie huffed, nose wrinkling as she squirmed and wiggled until she was by Danny's head, gently patting his forehead. "'M sorry you're sick. Are you feeling better, though?"

"Now that you're here, I am." He hummed happily, nuzzling against her. "Don't worry. Since you took that drink, you can't get sick, too."

"Kay. I woulda stayed anyways, though," Annie purred, burying her face into Danny's hair and settling down a bit more. "So, so, what's been going on with you all? Have ya gone on any adventures?"

"Not since the last time you visited, sweetie," he chuckled, looking amused. "Have _you_ been on any adventures?"

"Yup! We went on this big long epic adventure of coolness all the way to the marketplace to get some ice cream," Annie grinned, playing with Danny's hair almost absently. "Also, also, also, these creepy animal ghost things attacked, but Josh beat them off with his sword, and he's sooo much better than he used to be! You teaching him and giving him that sword for Christmas was the best, because he really really really loves it and he takes the bestest care of it."

"I'm glad. And what about you? Have you been having any fun?" As he spoke, he pulled the blanket up over her almost absently, tucking it around her before looking content.

"Yup! All that neat stuff you gave us for Christmas is really super neat and the books were really good and my favorite is Narnia. I wanted to go on an adventure to find it, but Josh said I'm still too little. Plus, we don't have any wardrobes to get there." Danny paused, glancing to the closet in their room before grinning at Annie and nudging her towards it.

A tiny little gasp and Annie was scrambling out of bed and bouncing over towards it, walking inside and shutting the door. A few minutes of banging and scrambling and the door was opening, Annie peeking out and frowning. "I can't find it...should we try a dresser thing?"

"Dressers have drawers, though, those won't work," Danny pointed out as he laid back in bed with an amused grin.

"But I don't see any wardrobe thingys!" Annie was flying around the room, a sudden gasp leaving her. "What if it's _under the bed_!" A flash and she was darting down there, disappearing just as the door opened and Randy was walking in.

"Time for the nasty tonic that you wish to burn." Danny whined, making halfhearted attempts to escape because nooo he hated the stupid tonic and wanted to be rid of it for forever. "I know, I know, but you need to take it to get- ...Wait, I thought Annie-" There was a sudden squeak of pure _terror_ from Randy, Danny looking over to see the man was pulling up a tiny ghostling, who was _beaming_.

"I shall protect the Danny from the ickiness!"

Danny laughed, a hand covering his mouth. "Alright, sweetie, come on, that's enough torture. He's just trying to help me get better." Annie gave a nod, Randy rolling his eyes as he set the girl in Danny's lap with a sigh. Annie clung to Danny, nuzzling at his chest.

"I couldn't find Narnia, but I did find sparkly things. They were silver, but Randy distracted me before I could see what it was."

"...Annie, sweetheart. No more looking under the bed." Annie whined while Randy checked under the bed himself, pulling out a silver object that turned out to be a bracelet.

"Oh, I wondered where that went." Randy snorted as he set the object down on the bedside table before sitting on the bed, handing Danny the small cup of tonic he had carried in for him. "We need to remember that tiny children visit here."

"And we will, once I'm no longer sick." Danny hummed as he cuddled Annie close, downing the cup and shivering. " _Bleck._ " Annie kissed his cheek, smiling sweetly as she nuzzled at the spot.

"Kisses make everything better." A moment of silence, Randy making a little 'aw' noise as he took the cup back.

"That? That was adorable." Danny seemed to think the same as he nuzzled against her, quietly purring.

"Tiny cutie." Annie purred at the attention, settling down with Danny and seeming quite pleased by everything. Besides, finding Narnia could always wait a _little_ while longer.

"You're not wrong. Also, rejoice, that was the last tonic you need to take. You should be back to 100% within the next two days," Randy grinned, ruffling Danny's hair. "But still take it easy for the next few days and don't push yourself, alright?" Feeling a tug on his pant leg, Randy looked down to Stacy.

"Josh suggested using the glowing flowers in the gardens for Andy's alchemy and now they disappeared to the room downstairs. I think Andy's either going to use Josh as sacrifice, or they're now raising an army of demons."

Danny scoffed as he sat up, his arms crossed in front of him. "And he didn't invite me?!" The teen was changing into his ghost form immediately, and flying out of the room. There was a short pause before he was flying back in and kissing Annie's forehead. Ruffling her hair, he kissed Randy's cheek, and was off again towards the alchemy lab.

"Wha- What did I just say about resting?!" Randy threw his hands up as he followed after them, pausing long enough to set Stacy on the bed and peck her on the forehead. As soon as they were gone, Annie was looking to Stacy.

"Wanna help me find Narnia?"

"Uh, _yes._ "

Down in the basement area, Randy was tiredly entering the alchemy labs, already sounding exhausted. "Andy, please don't sacrifice small children in your alchemy. Stacy and Annie would be upset if Josh suddenly vanished."

"Randy! I would never!" Danny was hovering a foot away, watching Andrew with an inquisitive nature as the man chopped one of the petals from the flower and threw it into the bowl. Andrew grinned at the reaction, scrambling to write it down. "This is new- I wonder if I can make a new element. I most likely can, as none of the current elements involve anything of the ectoplasmic nature, but-"

"What did I originally tell you about making new elements," Randy groaned, collapsing into a seat and sighing tiredly. "This is exhausting. Josh. Josh, why. Why did you have to mention the flowers." Josh only looked down to the bowl of alchemic solution, up to Andrew, and then to Randy as he quietly shrugged. It had _seemed_ like a good idea at the time.

"Imagine it! Being the first to discover a new element- Is _ectoplasm_ an element in itself?!" Randy only looked to Danny, to Andrew, and then sighed as he hid his face in his hands.

"Why did I have to fall in love with mad scientists? Why did I do it?" While Randy rambled to himself and aimed for dramatics, Josh was quietly pulling off three petals of separate flowers, grinding them into powder, and then dropping them into the solution they were working on it. It went from a paste to a _liquid_. "Uugghh now there's a third one."

Andrew was only grinning sharply, ruffling Josh's hair and hugging him to his chest. " _My child._ " Danny took the bowl, examining the liquid and tilting his head.

"Do these flowers have pollen? How much do we even know about these flowers?" He dipped his little finger into the bowl, and tilted his head, examining the drop.

"...Huh. Your flesh didn't melt." At Josh's quiet comment, Randy was giving him a defeated stare, the child squirming in Andrew's arms before grabbing an array of petals and grinding them up. "From Andy's reaction, you guys probably don't use ghost plants beyond your tonics and eating them. But if you mix these kind, with this, and then add water." Holding up the glass vial, Josh carefully poured a few drops onto the edge of the table. Which started _melting_. "It's helpful when we change caves."

Andrew shook his head, his smile still wide on his face. "Amazing, and you learned this by yourself?"

"...Was I not supposed to?" Josh quietly added a single purple petal to the solution, the liquid evaporating and dispersing to where the vial was once again empty and completely harmless.

"No, no, it's _amazing!_ I can't believe- And you don't even have your own lab! How did you learn to do that?!" A pause, and a shrug, Josh setting the vial back down.

"There's not much to do, really, and it's better than just...sitting around." Sitting on the table, the child's tail curled around himself tightly. "Thirty years is a long time to learn things." Andrew took Josh's hands in his own with a slightly crazed smile.

"Definitely. So. What other things do you know?" It was at this point Danny was looking just as curious and flying around the lab to gather things, Randy looking utterly defeated.

"How many ghost flowers do you grow around here- Do you keep blood blossoms? You can make an antidote to blood blossom effects if you mix three petals of that, a part of the stem, and then four petals of phantasma flowers."

"We don't, but we definitely should- Maybe keep it in its own contained area, so that it doesn't affect us. Do you know how we could transfer any blood blossom from out in the Zone to here in the gardens?"

Josh was flying around the lab for a bit, coming back with a bright yellow flower with drooping yellowish-orange petals. "This one doesn't do much, but if you crush the petals into a paste and put it on gloves, or your hands, you can pick up blood blossoms and you won't be affected. If you let it soak into fabric, like a bag, you'll be able to keep clipped blood blossoms in it for however long you want without being affected, either."

"Oh. Great. Not only did I fall in love with two mad scientists. The kid is one, too. Perfect. That-" Randy sighed, shaking his head. "Why me." Josh only held out the flower to Andrew, still a bit quiet. Andrew took the flower and followed Josh's directions, grinning at the glowing yellow paste.

"Danny, where are my gloves?" While Danny was eagerly helping Andrew with the new paste, Josh was quietly sitting in Randy's lap and tugging on his shirt, holding out blue and green flowers.

"Mix the petals of these two. It creates a paste that promotes ectoplasmic regeneration, and heals over the cut or wound, no matter how bad. It can be near-death bad." Randy looked down at Josh for a long moment before sighing heavily and hugging the child close. _Honestly._


	50. The Flaws in Our Suns

Kit - Randy and Andrew aren't good at the whole, you know, long-term relationship marriage thing.

Kas - They're not good at the relationship thing, in general. There's just too many faults in their stars.

Kit - ...When I said I wanted to use that as a pun, I meant FOR THE CHAPTER TITLE. (chapter title made) You're forgiven.

* * *

"Mr. and Mrs. Fenton, it's nice to see you."

"Andrew, please, you've known us for years. You _know_ you can call us Maddie and Jack," Maddie snorted, swatting Randy away from her fudge. "No, I've heard the horror stories of _your_ baking." At Randy's look, Andrew was giving a nervous chuckle.

"So... We wanted to speak to you two about something." Maddie gave a curious hum, giving her attention to Andrew, Jack and Randy working together to steal some of the freshly-made fudge.

"Oh? What is it you two want to talk to us about?" There were two sharp slaps, Maddie smiling as she held a spatula while Jack and Randy slunk away to lick their wounds. And their _very_ red hands. Andrew snickered at Randy, looking entirely too amused. And maybe also looking to him because wow no he could not words.

"We wanted to talk to you about Danny, actually," Randy nervously chuckled himself, _maybe_ standing in front of Andrew to save him. "See...we kind of wanted to ask you two..." Alright, worst thing that could happen would be that they said no and then they would have to go behind their back and then their marriage wouldn't be approved and then Danny would always be estranged from his family and then- "If...we...ah..."

"Oh, honestly." Maddie rolled her eyes, looking far too amused. "Yes, yes, you have our blessing and all. You know, we're not _that_ old-fashioned."

"...Maddie, you very much remind me of the woman who raised us. You two would have gotten along fabulously," Randy nodded, slumping against Andrew and, woo. Okay. That- That had happened, then. "I still feel panicked."

"That would be because _you_ tried to steal her desserts," Andrew said with a laugh, hugging Randy tightly and okay. That was...far easier than he had expected.

"Of course, you know that if you ever hurt him, we'll be forced to tear you apart molecule-by-molecule," Jack spoke up with a wide grin, hugging the two tightly. "Also you'll have to tell Jazz."

"Ahah, we're pretty sure she already knows," the younger ghost grinned and he was remembering the 'present' from Jazz and okay his face was vaguely purple. That was fine.

"She usually knows _everything_ before we do," Maddie huffed, cutting the fudge and making sure it was properly set. As well as cooled. "As soon as I get proof that Clockwork has been cheating and giving her hints..."

"That would explain why Danny seems to know so much." Andrew nodded and yes. It was official. Timekeepers were the worst.

"So, ah, do _you_ two have any advice on how we should propose," Randy asked somewhat nervously, munching on a piece of fudge before handing a piece to Andrew.

Jack and Maddie glanced to each other before nodding. "Quietly."

"And as romantic as possible."

"He's a sap."

"He's had wedding magazines since he was sixteen."

"That one is Andy's fault," Randy pointed out. "I wasn't in the picture at that age, so all missed clues are completely and totally his fault. And, yeah, we planned on quiet and romantic. There's a star-gazing field in the Ghost Zone we think he'll like pretty well."

Andrew rose an eyebrow to Randy at that. "You do realize he had a crush on you since the moment he met you, yes? When he was _sixteen?_ "

"Wha- Really?" Randy blinked at that, thinking it over and giving a slow nod. "I will admit, this would make some sense of those early interactions." Andrew only gave a dramatic sigh and a roll of his eyes. "But, yes, that's a thing we planned on doing...around Valentine's Day, or so."

"On Valentine's Day," Andrew corrected with a nod. Randy gave a nod of his own, Maddie chuckling.

"Well, that seems a perfect day to do it. You have everything all planned out?" Andrew glanced to Randy, giving a nod.

"The entire day."

"If it helps reassure you two, you're _already_ part of the family, at this point," Maddie pointed out, smiling in amusement. "Pretty sure we couldn't get rid of you if we even _wanted_ to."

At that, Andrew was giving a small smile of his own, leaning against Randy. "Thank you, Mrs. Fenton."

"You're never gonna stop calling me that, are you?"

"No, not really."

::

"So. I hear you two are finally going to propose."

"'Finally'," Randy huffed, crossing his arms and slumping down behind Andrew on the couch. Jasmine was vicious, truly. "It's not like we were gonna spring something this big on him right after he got out of high school." Well...that and the thought hadn't occurred to them, but _still_.

At that, Jazz was only rolling her eyes, because, really now. She _knew_ her little brother. "So, what's your plan?"

"Valentine's Day with various things planned that we know he'll joy," Andrew hummed, looking a bit amused by Randy's reaction. "Planetarium, his favorite places, things like that. For the actual proposal, we'll be taking him to a star-gazing field in the Ghost Zone that Randy found a few years ago."

Jazz rose an eyebrow, sitting in the armchair and crossing her arms. "There are stars in the Ghost Zone?"

"Biomes, technically," Randy corrected. "Parts of the old Spirit World, like little areas of beaches, forests, fields, things like that. They're kind of...hard to find, but worth it once you do."

"What's the difference between the Ghost Zone and the Spirit World?" Jazz was frowning and looking curious because... Wasn't the Ghost Zone the Spirit World?

"They're...sort of the same," Andrew tilted his head, trying to explain it. "The Spirit World is it's _proper_ name. Back in the reign of the first Spirit King, near the beginning of the world, it was _more_ of a world. Like the Earth. With wars, however..." Andrew trailed off, Randy picking up with a small sigh.

"It was shattered. The ghosts you see now are crossed over from your world, lingering consciousnesses and souls. The original spirits like Clockwork and Frostbite, they're almost...non-existent. By the time you all found the world, it really _was_ the Ghost Zone. Nothing but shattered remains."

Jazz shook her head, narrowing her eyes at them. "What's the difference between spirits and ghosts? Isn't Clockwork a ghost? And Frostbite?"

"I'm actually surprised Clockwork hasn't explained all of this already," Randy snorted, Andrew swatting at him.

"Ghosts are more...well, ghosts. What you've seen. Basics powers, souls that once had a life _here_. Like us, when we were human. Spirits are...far more powerful. They're ectoplasmic entities that were _born_ from the Spirit World. Crafted out of it's energy. Clockwork is one of them, and so is Frostbite and the other Far Frozen people. There are a few others, but...not as many as there once were."

"Spirits are more powerful," Randy pointed out. "Look at Clockwork. He can control time. Frostbite and his people could raze half the damn Ghost Zone if they wanted to and weren't so peaceful. The Observants...well, they're dicks, but _powerful_ ones. Spirits are far stronger, and far more adept with the powers they have, almost like-" Like...Danny... "Huh."

"What? What 'huh?'" Andrew was only looking to Randy and... He realized it too, didn't he? Maybe all this time, they'd been wrong in thinking Danny and Vlad were...half _ghost._ " _Guys_."

"We...might have been wrong, in assuming Vlad and Danny were half _ghost_ ," Andrew finally mumbled, sitting back and thinking things over. "It would explain why their powers are so different from we've seen in others..."

"Not half-ghost," Randy snorted, looking a touch amused. "Half- _spirit_." At Jazz's look, he quickly waved his hands. "No, no, no, it's nothing to worry about, we promise. He's just...stronger than even _we_ ever thought."

"How... _strong_ is he, exactly," she asked as she toyed with her sleeve. Andrew and Randy shared a look, giving vague little gestures and noises.

"Like...stronger than Plasmius and probably rivaling Dan?" Randy half-asked, chuckling a bit nervously. "Maybe Pariah?" Jazz gave a heavy sigh, shaking her head and running a hand through her hair.

"You're kidding me, right?" Andrew gave a small shrug as response.

"It's not like halfas are exactly well- _known_. And Danny was exposed to far more of the effects than Vlad. Plus the energy came from Clockwork, in some sense, who is one of the older spirits."

"It's fine, it's fine, it's totally fine. After all, he's been fine all this time, yeah? We're just slightly panicked because we _realized_ it, is all."

"Then why is it he lost so much against Plasmius," Jazz asked, looking up at them with a frown. That wouldn't have made sense, if Danny was stronger than Plasmius.

"Younger spirits _and_ ghosts are always weak at first," Andrew shrugged, shifting to settle against Randy's side. "Now that he's older, his powers have stabilized to some amount, and are still growing. Besides, raw power does nothing to help you against one with such experience."

"I suppose that makes sense." She glanced to them with a teasing grin. "So, do you two think you can handle that much power?" There was a long silence before Andrew was jerking Randy down and covering his mouth, the older making a pathetic whining noise.

"Yes, ha, ha, very funny." Distasteful comments would _probably_ not be appreciated. "Back to the subject we were on, we have everything planned, yes."

"Valentine's Day is next weekend," Jazz pointed out.

"...We knew that."

"Definitely. We _absolutely_ knew that." Fuck they didn't know that.

"Mhm. Good luck, then." A glance to her phone. "By the way, Danny's gonna walk through the door in five seconds."

" _Someone kill meee._ "


	51. They're So Sappy

**Kit - Seriously. So sappy, man.**

 **Kas - It's adorable, though.**

 **Kit - It's really adorable.**

* * *

Danny yawned, rubbing at his eyes as he rolled over onto his side and... He opened his eyes in startlement. There was not an Andrew there for him to cuddle. There was always an Andrew to cuddle. Instead there was a little post-it note - in the shape of a heart - telling him to go to the kitchen. And also telling him he was beautiful. The teen rolled his eyes as he rose from the bed and floated towards the closet, tilting his head and trying to pick out something to wear. Something told him today would be a little different.

A few moments of ruffling and another note was fluttering down from being attached to one of the shirts. Danny caught it before it hit the ground, the words telling him that he was gorgeous no matter what he wore. Although purple was _certainly_ a good look on him. There was an added P.S. that said white looked better. In different handwriting. Danny rolled his eyes at the note, and looked through the closet for a long moment before picking out a mostly black outfit with white and purple accents equally. With that done, he floated over towards the door, raising an eyebrow at seeing another note on it.

Another heart-shaped note that said he was the luckiest thing to ever happen to the two of them and they would be lost without him. There was a little scribble below it saying he was a cutie patootie, again, in different handwriting. The most hilarious part was that the second comment was in _Andrew's_ handwriting. The teen gave a quiet laugh before taking his time to float through the hall, picking up stickie-notes and tucking them in his pocket as he went. They were all heart-shaped, and filled with multitudes of compliments, such as 'you're the light of my life that I couldn't see without' to 'you're so _spirit_ ful!' It wasn't hard to guess who came up with what.

'We think you're beautiful inside and out, even if you don't realize it, sometimes.' 'You turned murderers into fluffy pets that are utterly _yours_. In a good way.' 'Randy shut up.' 'Andy you shut up- ALSO YOUR EYES ARE GORGEOUS IN BOTH FORMS.' 'Also seeing you wither underneath me as I hear you scream my name is very delightful~' 'ANDREW CLAUDE RITER' The notes only caused Danny to laugh a bit louder as he came upon the sitting room, where notes were _covering_ the couch. In a variety of neon colors, and all heart-shaped. The teen felt his heart flutter a small amount at just how much effort the two put into this.

There were compliments, little puns and jokes, comments of how much they loved him, little arguments on the same note between Andrew and Randy, and little nicknames and pet names. There were also a lot of sappy poem quotes that, shockingly enough, all came from _Randy_. And _original_ short poems from, unshockingly, Andrew. Danny finally flew to the kitchen, realizing he could no longer delay the inevitable. "So. You two are being especially romantic, today."

"What? We're not allowed to spoil our mate by acting sappy and romantic?" Randy gave Danny a sweet kiss, handing over a cup of coffee. "Good morning, by the way." Danny kissed him back, and did the same to Andrew before settling down in his usual seat.

"Well, seeing as it _is_ Valentine's Day, I suppose I can let it slide." Looking down at his cup, he couldn't hold back a grin at seeing the foam was in the shape of a heart.

"You might have to, seeing as we have quite a few more things planned," Andrew chuckled, Randy setting down a plate of food in front of Danny. It was heart-shaped pancakes with even the _butter_ being in a little heart shape. As well as the _strawberries_ on the side. "Randall can be completely blamed for the food, however."

"I will gladly take that blame," Randy nodded, shoving a bite of heart-shaped pancake in Andrew's mouth. "It was fun making it, though." Danny was only happily curled up in his seat, humming happily and looking as though nothing in the world could go wrong. After all, he _adored_ this sort of thing, even if he never actually said so. "So, after breakfast, we'll be going on a surprise trip to the human world. And yes, we'll probably be making use of the blindfold." Rolling his eyes, Danny gave a nod.

"Alright, alright. I promise I won't peek." Randy gave a happy little hum, pecking Danny on the cheek and nuzzling the spot a moment later.

"Lovely. Now, wish me luck while I go and try to get Andrew to wear something besides what he is." Because it was an important day and goddammit he _would_ make Andrew wear something nice.

"Wait wha- You _never_ said that was part of the plan!" Andrew leaned back in his seat, looking like he was ready to try to escape.

"Improvise, you're good at that," Randy grinned wickedly, latching onto Andrew and teleporting them away. There was a little note appearing a second later, fluttering down to land next to Danny. 'Surprise treat for you~ You'll see~' Danny rose an eyebrow at that, thinking for a moment before grinning widely and looking even more excited.

It was about ten or so minutes - Danny finishing his breakfast - before Andrew managed to escape back to the kitchen. The man was dressed in tight, black jeans, a black undershirt, and a purple dress-shirt unbuttoned, sleeves rolled up to the elbows. Danny stared for a long moment, unable to really say or do anything because... _damn._ "Before you laugh at how ridiculous I look, I want it to go on record I had no choice in anything and fighting with Randy over fashion means I never win."

"Andy you're fucking hot."

"...What." Danny flew over to him and carefully clung, trying to not ruin the clothes because _oh god Andrew looked so good why didn't he dress like that more often._ "What...what's happening."

"You look good in jeans," Randy spoke up, leaning against the kitchen doorway, smirk on his face. "As I've tried telling you multiple times." The man was dressed up a little himself, wearing jeans similar to Andrew's - only a faded blue that edged near white - with the difference of a white button-shirt with sleeves rolled up, a grey undershirt, and various bracelets on his wrists. His collar was on as always, but the main differences was that he had his freckles, square-framed glasses that were a sleek black, and hair that was flat on top but ended in slight curls.

Danny stared at him, looking back at Andrew before glancing to Randy and whining because _nooo they were both hot but Andrew cuddles but Randy clings but nnn._ Andrew rolled his eyes before picking up Danny and hugging him tightly, flying over to Randy and leaning against him. "I still think I look ridiculous."

"No, correction, you look hot as hell," Randy grinned, clinging to the two and nuzzling against the top of Danny's head. Danny nuzzled against them, purring with his tail wagging.

" _You're both so perfectly perfect and I'm so lucky to have you and I love you both so very much._ " Randy chuckled, nuzzling closely against Danny and giving a little purr of his own.

"We love you as well, little kitten. Now, come on, we have places to go. Besides, Andy's not gonna dress up like this often. Better enjoy it while we can."

"Ooh, don't worry, I will," Danny said, still purring with a sharp grin. "And Andy, if you think you can't pull it off, don't worry." He kissed at the man's cheek, nuzzling against the spot a moment later. "That's what Randy and I are for, after all."

"Terrible, you two are," Andrew scoffed, blushing a small amount and swatting at Danny. Randy was only snickering, placing a sweet kiss to Danny's neck. "Yes, yes, be cuddly later. Right now we have to go if we don't want to be late."

"Can't I be cuddly _while_ we go?" Danny hung off Andrew's back, still wrapped around him.

"I _suppose_."

"Do it while blindfolded," Randy snorted, wrapping the white cloth around Danny's eyes and giving a kiss to his temple. "Also, human." Danny nodded, feeling his body growing warmer as he was back in his human form, his heart beating quietly in his chest. "Alright, now let's get going!"

::

"Alright, ready for the first stop on our super duper list of fun things to do today?"

"...Randall, _please_ tell me you did not just say 'super duper'."

"Okay. I won't." Danny quietly giggled, looking to their direction with a large grin.

"How long is this list?" There was a bit of silence, followed by a silence that seemed filled with shrugging.

"Fairly long."

"We're gonna be busy, but you'll be having fun, and there's a coffee shop stop, so you'll be okay. Now, ready to take the blindfold off?" The teen gave a nod, near bouncing with excitement and yes yes yes fun romance and fun. Prying Danny away from Andrew and setting him down at just the right angle to catch full sight of the building, Randy removed the blindfold with a little flourish. "Ta-dah!" Danny looked up at the building and loudly gasped, near tackling Randy and clinging to him.

"This is- We're in- Do you know what this place is?! Do you know how amazing it is?! There's so much in here that so many people take for granted and do you even _realize_ who made this place?!" Andrew gave a quiet chuckle, looking rather fond.

"Yes, we realize, one of the reasons we thought you might like visiting." Randy was only recovering from the tackle, seeming more amused, than anything. A moment, and he was nudging Danny towards Andrew, and, yes. Revenge.

"Andy's idea, actually." Danny was immediately clinging to Andrew and nuzzling against him and purring and _he was so perfect._ Andrew laughed, hugging Danny back and kissing the top of his head.

"Alright, alright, we still have to go _in_ , you know. There are quite a few shows lined up for the day, I believe, and we wouldn't want to miss any of the good ones."

"We get to see them?!" The teen was looking like he was fourteen and excited to be an astronaut all over again, grinning widely at them.

"Yep! Including the one about the Big Bang," Randy grinned, already nudging them along towards the steps. "I think there's three shows that we'll be watching, all in all."

" _Oh my god._ "

"I've heard there's a gift shop, too. Including star maps~"

" _I love you so much._ "

"Je t'aime aussi, mon petit chaton."

::

"Alright, we're moving the coffee shop thing up because if I don't get something with caffeine in me, I'm pretty sure I'm gonna pass out," Randy yawned, rubbing at his eyes as the three left the planetarium. "So, mon douce. Up for the cliche of Valentine's Day coffee on a snowy day in New York City?"

"Absolutely." Danny held Randy's hand in one hand and Andrew's in the other, holding them both close and looking absolutely delighted. "Already best Valentine's Day ever."

"And to think it's hardly even noon," Andrew chuckled, leaning against Danny and giving a light shiver. "The coffee shop sounds good, though. It's cold out here." Out of all of them, _he_ hated the cold the most.

"Yeah, yeah, there's a shop around the corner," Randy snorted, leading them along. "If there aren't heart-shaped cookies for sale, I will be upset, though."

"Can we get them?! How many can we get-" Danny gasped, looking to Andrew with a wide grin. "Andy, can you make Valentine's cookies when we get home?!"

"Yes, we can get some, how many depends on how many you want, and yes, I can make some when we get home." Andrew seemed rather amused, Randy only cooing over how cute their mate was.

"For now, we get our coffee. And, oh, my. Is that a bookstore a few buildings from that coffee shop? How strange. Oh well, at least we'll have _something_ to do, right?"

Danny was smiling up at the two of them, still holding them both as close as he could. "You know I'm in love with you, right? Both of you. I'm just... I'm so lucky that I have you and I'm just so so _so_ in love with you and-" He was cut off by a sweet kiss to his lips by Randy, the man nuzzling their cheeks together.

"We're in love with you too, my sweet kitten, very, very much. Part of why we're doing all this, to show you just how much you mean to us." Danny purred at the name, curling up to Randy until the man was carrying him.

"Well then, you should know that it's definitely working." Randy chuckled, hugging the teen close as Andrew leaned over to give the younger a kiss of his own.

"Good, now come on. We have books to waste Randy's money on."

"Wha- Why _my_ money?!"

"What do you mean _waste?_ "

"I suppose we'll find out since I already stole his credit cards." With that Andrew was happily heading towards the coffee shop, Randy giving an offended scoff and pouting fiercely. Danny kissed his cheek and settled down in his arms, looking pleased with himself.

"Do you even _go_ to coffee shops, Randy?"

"I go with you two, don't I? Now come on, we got credit cards to steal back."

::

"So, you can teleport all these back to Vidya, right?"

"Yup, can do it no problem," Randy grinned. "Speaking of, we should stop back in at Vidya for lunch, and so Andy can make those cookies you want." With that, Randy was teleporting them all back to Vidya, flopping down on the couch with a tired little sigh. "Woo, teleporting so far from a portal is a lot more difficult than I thought." Danny curled up on top of Randy, his tail curled around the man's waist, having already changed back into his ghost form.

"It's alright, Randy, just rest for a minute, yeah?" Randy only hummed and flipped them over quickly, nuzzling at Danny's neck before pressing light little kisses there. And _maybe_ a bite or two. The teen purred, nuzzling against him and quietly laughing. "Or not rest. You know, whatever you want to do."

"What? I'm resting," Randy hummed, Andrew rolling his eyes as he set the bags down and headed towards the kitchen.

"I'll just make lunch then, shall I?" Randy gave a small hum to show he had heard, back to marking up Danny's neck quite a bit. And maybe rubbing at his tail on the weakest point he knew. Danny shivered, a hitch in his purrs before he was curling closer, his tail giving weak flicks as he tilted his head for Randy.

"Have you been having a good Valentine's Day, then, love?" And, alright, that was a _bit_ sharp of a bite, but, really. It was Danny. He could hardly be blamed. And as for the nails clawing down the teen's spine... Well, that one was just him being cruel. He would admit that.

Danny gasped, a quiet moan escaping as he clung to Randy. "My Valentine's Day has been _perfect,_ pet." He nuzzled against Randy, pulling him the tiniest bit closer.

"Well, then...we'll be doing our best to continue to make as perfect as we can," Randy purred, biting at the teen's collarbone, teeth scraping against bone for a split second before he was lightly lapping at the bite. And of _course_ he soothed away the scratches he had made with his fingertips. He'd _hate_ for Danny to be in pain, after all. That got him another moan for his efforts, Danny's hands clutching tightly at Randy's shirt. "You know, Andy's probably going to be busy with lunch for a little while...anything you want to do until then?"

" _Ooh, I could think of a couple things, my darling little pet._ " Danny grabbed at Randy's collar, pulling him into a rough, needy kiss. There was a startled gasp that trailed into a quiet moan, Randy following Danny's pull and pressing closer to him. And alright, Danny could admit. He was still a selfish teenager. " _Spoil me more, Randy?_ "

" _My sweet, I'd be_ _ **delighted**_ _._ "

::

"There's _more?_ "

"Just one more thing," Andrew chuckle, ruffling Danny's hair and kissing at his cheek. "We saved the best for last, in my opinion."

Danny kissed him back, settled down on the couch, with a blanket tucked around him. "But the day's already perfect. How could it get better?"

"I guess you'll just have to see," Randy teased, holding the blindfold out. "If you don't like it, we can come straight back home. Sound fair?" Looking up at them, the halfa nodded. "Lovely." Tying the blindfold around the teen, Randy was happily scooping Danny up. "You can stay in ghost form, since we'll be staying in the Ghost Zone."

Danny gave another nod, nuzzling against his chest with a quiet purr. "Alright. I trust you." Randy gave a small smile before linking arms with Andrew and leaning against him, concentrating before teleporting them in one quick moment.

"Ya know, we probably could have just had you close your eyes," Randy mused, setting Danny down on blue grass before nudging him to lay on his back. "Alright, ready?"

The teen was breathing calmly, a soft smile on his face. "Ready." Randy tugged Andrew down to sit beside him, the older tugging off the blindfold and grinning brightly as he nudged Danny's head so his gaze would be straight up at the sky above them. The ghostly sky that was _filled_ with stars, all of them different from the ones of the world the three had come from. Danny gave a quiet gasp, staring up at the stars, his eyes sparkling with their gleaming light. He didn't speak, only continued to look up at the stars.

"We thought you might enjoy it," Randy spoke softly, looking up at the sky himself. "It's...what night used to look like, in this world. A moment of time...that almost no one else knows about. I figure a timekeeper and future Spirit King deserves to know about it, at least."

Danny looked over to him, mouth slightly agape and eyes wide with wonder. "How did you find this place?"

"Luck, mostly," Randy chuckled, leaning against Andrew and slumping down a little. "Restless exploring, a willingness to go in places I shouldn't, and pure, dumb luck."

"...Why?" Danny was able to fully tear his gaze away from the sky to look over to them. "Why are you... Why'd we come here?"

"We...wanted to ask you something," Andrew spoke softly, gently pulling Danny's upper half into his lap, Randy playing with his hair. "Well, that and Randy's been dying to show you this place for _weeks_ -"

"I was saving it for an important occasion, thank you very much," Randy huffed, leaning against the two and smiling down at Danny. Softly, and a bit nervously. "But, yeah, we...did want to ask you something..." Danny stared up at them, his breath nearly catching. Were they... No. No, they couldn't be. "Of course, Andy, being the wordy one, will ask. Becuase he's better with words. Heh."

"Wait, wha- No, no, this part was your plan. You said- Randy!" Andrew looked pathetic, as though he'd just been thrown to the wolves.

"You helped plan the plan! Besides I'll just- I'd blurt it out! You at least can build up to it and stay calm enough to not panic!"

"You call this calm?!"

"You guys!" Danny looked up at them with a fond grin. "Just...ask me whatever it is." Randy and Andrew shared a look, Randy the first one to speak.

"It's...actually probably something we should have asked you a while ago, but...this one time we were kinda clueless. Andy, especially-"

"Hey!" Andrew pouted at that, crossing his arms. "It's not _my_ fault." He'd been _sixteen,_ after all. Randy only waved him off, looking amused.

"It's part your fault, but, yes. It's...something we should have asked but didn't realize but now we have and now we're gonna ask and what we're gonna ask, is, well, um..." Oh shit, did they even _bring_ the ring?!

Andrew sighed, rolling his eyes and shaking his head. Honestly. He took a small box out of his pocket, opening it as he handed it to Danny. "Danny, mon cher, we love you more than anything in either of the two worlds, and... We want to know if you'll spend the rest of your existence with us."

Danny stared down at the ring, a glowing gem(?) that was a perfect mixture of white and purple. He only looked up at them, speechless. Randy spoke, a bit nervous and hesitant. "You don't _have_ to say yes, if you don't want to do anything. We'll understand- Really. You can say no and nothing will change between us. Far as we're concerned, just as long as we're by you everything is perfect. We just...want to show you how much we're in love with you. Utterly and completely." After another long pause, Danny was tackling Randy and dragging him into a long, sincere kiss.

When he finally parted, it was with a quiet laugh as he leaned his forehead against Randy's. "I would _love_ to." With a pause, he pounced and gave Andrew the same treatment, nuzzling against him. It was only a split moment after the response really registered that the two were hugging onto Danny just as tightly, Randy chuckling quietly.

"Do you actually want to _wear_ the ring, then?"

" _Yes._ " Danny continued to cling to Andrew, grinning widely as his tail wrapped around Randy's wrist. Randy gave another laugh as he worked the ring out of the box, gently slipping it onto Danny's hand. The moment it was there, Danny was squealing and knocking Randy to the ground again, going on about how this was the best day of his life and he couldn't think of anything better and he didn't think they'd ever actually _do_ it!

"Yes, well, we didn't really _consider_ it," Andrew mused, watching in amusement as Randy blinked in slight confusion at ending up on the ground so fast. "It took seeing your emotions for it to really click and for us to feel like idiots."

"And Jazz was real supportive, giving us a box of wedding planning stuff for Christmas," Randy snorted, sitting back up and leaning against Andrew. And maybe pressing a bunch of fluttering kisses to Danny's cheeks. "And, you know, Andy's had wedding stuff marked out on his laptop for _months_. Like, since before you graduated months."

"Wha- I have not!" Andrew huffed as he leaned back against Randy, his face slightly purple. "And you've had wedding designs in your sketchbook for the last year and a half, for him."

"...I will not deny that," Randy quietly mumbled, curling around Danny even more. "I've had yours for five years, though." Ha. If he was going down, he was taking Andrew with him.

"Oh, is that it?" Andrew snorted, looking amused. Randy swatted at him again and right, bad plan. Bad plan.

"You know what, subject change. Danny, change the subject by asking what your ring is made of."

Danny gave a giggle, snuggling close. "Okay. What's it made of?"

"Our cores." At Danny's look, Andrew gave a laugh. "Well, tiny pieces of them, at any rate. It's a very, _very_ old tradition in the Spirit World. Although, not many know of it where there's not very many weddings, anymore."

"Fun fact, if the corresponding color on the gem goes black, that means we died," Randy spoke, voice cheery and smile bright.

Danny gave a quiet snort of his own, shaking his head and tugging Randy closer. "I'll make sure they don't turn black, then." Randy only gave a little hum, curling closer to Danny while Andrew shook his head.

"How is that a 'fun fact'. That sounds more like a 'horrifying fact'," Andrew tsked, tugging on a lock of Randy's hair. "You are a wreck."

The youngest looked up at him, "But that _was_ a fun fact."

"Both. You _both_ are a wreck." At the words, Danny and Randy shared a quick look before tackling Andrew to the ground, both of them kissing a cheek. Although Randy may have also snuck in a sharp nip to the ear tip.

"Yes, but we're _your_ wreck, mon cheri."

"Mm, I suppose so, aren't you?"

"So... Are there stories about the stars?" Danny was half laying on Andrew, his head on the man's chest as he stared back up at the sky.

"Quite a few, actually," Andrew chuckled, kissing the top of Danny's head and settling down with him. Randy gave a few soft scratches to Danny's tail, smiling softly.

"Want to hear them?"

The teen gave a quiet purr, nuzzling against him. "Yeah."

"Good, cause we studied beforehand so we wouldn't mess them up. Alright, first up, constellations. You're gonna love this."


	52. They Finally Proposed

**Kit - Tucker and Sam probably _are_ on FBI watchlists, though.**

 **Kas - It's possible. Tucker definitely.**

 **Kit - Sam just has a normal police record.**

* * *

"Yo, Danny, right on time." Tucker glanced up at seeing Danny fall through the ceiling, plopping down right in his lap. "Really? Again? Always- Why can't you ever use _Sam_ as your human chair?"

Danny blinked up at him, shifting around a bit. "You're more fluffy." A beat of silence, and then an overly dramatic noise of offense.

"Are you calling me _fat_?!" Sam, from where she was sitting in a beanbag chair a few feet away, gave a snort of laughter.

"With all that red meat you eat? I'm surprised you holy shit Danny what the fuck is on your finger."

Danny grinned up at them, showing off the ring on his finger. "I know, right?!" His tail was near wagging as the ring glowed, lighting up the room.

"They _actually_ proposed?" Tucker seemed shocked, Sam only scooting her seat over in order to inspect the ring. "Well. Didn't see that coming for a few more years. Or at all. Ever."

"What kind of gem even _is_ this," Sam frowned, tilting Danny's hand every which way. "A Ghost Zone thing?" It _was_ kind of glowing, after all.

Grinning widely, Danny looked down at the ring, watching as the white glow grew brighter. "They said it was part of their _cores._ " Ha, he _knew_ one of them always lurked around when he visited Sam and Tucker.

"Well, that's kind of sappy," Tucker snorted, shrugging at Sam's look. "Think about it. It's like giving him pieces of their heart!" That caused the youngest to burst into delighted giggles, curling up in Tucker's lap.

"Okay, okay, okay. Enough about me and my crazy life. How's your guys' normal college lives?" There was a bit of silence, Sam giving a quiet cough.

"I...might have started a riot in the main building last week- It was for a good cause, though! I mean, I swear it was a peaceful protest but then it kind of...got out of hand."

"I accidentally knocked out all the power within a five mile radius the other day," Tucker added in. "So, you know, normal for us."

At that, Danny was giving a laugh at how... _normal_ that was. No ghost attacks, no weird soulmate thing, no worrying about time visions. Just...humans being humans. "Explain. I wanna know more. Sam first, then Tuck."

" _Alright_ , so it started as a peaceful protest against the treatment of lab animals. I mean, really, 21st century and we're still using animals as test subjects while not under proper lab procedure? So, anyways, it started a few weeks ago when me and a few of my major buddies got the idea to try and change things."

::

"Hi, Randy."

"Hi, Danny." Randy didn't even jump at the teen appearing beside him on the roof he had been laying on to watch Sam's house. Just in case. Of course, at this point he had settled back and was drawing in one of his sketchbooks. "You know I can feel your energy, so sneaking up doesn't work anymore."

"Yeah, and you can't sneak up on me, either, so it's fair." He settled down next to Randy, glancing at the sketchbook and nuzzling against him. "Feeling inspired?"

"Maybe a _bit_ ," Randy chuckled, pulling Danny into his lap and moving around him so he could still sketch what he was working on. Glancing at the ring, and seeing the white was very bright, and the purple a dull glow, he gave a little hum. "Ooh, okay...that makes sense. But, hey, helpful, since we sneak up on you a lot."

"Yeah. You do." Danny relaxed against him, giving a warm smile before turning to kiss at his cheek. "Love you. A lot." Randy hummed, returning the kiss to his own cheek.

"Je t'aime aussi, mon douce. Now, help give me ideas for this." Most the accents on the suits he were designing were blue, which tipped off to _which_ one of them they were for.

"Ideas for what, _exactly?_ " Because that was incredibly vague and Randy was not helpful.

"Accents, mostly. As well as a million other tiny things," Randy snorted, resting his chin on Danny's head and half coloring in some of the parts. "White, or something else?"

"Hm, I like the blue, but maybe a- Oooh, what if all the suits were white with different accents?" After all, white was so much a part of their lives, at this point.

"See, that's what I was going for," Randy grinned, settling around Danny more. When the teen glanced up, it was to see they were settled against a tree in the gardens. "Hm... You'll be crowned by that time, so maybe..."

Danny gave him a small nudge. "What are you thinking, prince charmont?" As he spoke, he glanced down to his ring, smiling at seeing the purple portion was glowing much brighter.

"Something a bit more...royal." Randy had already flipped to a blank page and was quickly sketching something out, the suit having more of a tunic-style, with a long, trailing cloak attached to the figure. A flick of his hand and he was teleporting an ice blue pencil to color in the cloak as well as various accents, and a icy crown on top. "Thoughts?"

"...Cloak and crown yes, but I feel like we should go for the more traditional suits, like what you drew already." He nudged at the page, and whoops, did he teleport Andrew into the gardens? Well, he _was_ still getting new powers, and trying to adjust, that would be the _only_ reason.

"Well, to be fair, this kind of _is_ more traditional than suits," Randy snorted, erasing the tunic and sketching again. "Also for record," A quick glance to Andrew, who was beside them. "I didn't teleport you this time. That was all Danny."

"I was just testing something. And to be _fair,_ most tunics fucking suck. And besides, you two look great in suits." Danny nudged slightly at Randy, giving a small hum.

"Ah, the truth will out. You just want to see us in suits," Randy teased, nudging back as he finished sketching out the new suit. It was a bit more of an old-fashioned cut to match the cloak and crown, but still modern enough to work well with the types of accents and everything else. "Thoughts?"

"I like. Andy? Thoughts." Danny gave Andrew a small nudge, looking curious. Andrew gave a dramatic, defeated sigh before he was sitting down next to them, leaning against Randy to look at the sketchbook. A few moments and he was giving a nod.

"I quite like it. It's a good mix of styles. Have you thought if you'll have any colored accents?" Because they all knew Randy's color was _white_ , but with a white suit...

"That...is a good question."

"I think Randy's should just be white," Danny hummed, glancing to his ring with a smile. "I mean, it fits. After all, he's the... _white_ of our lives." There was a moment of silence, Andrew covering the teen's mouth.

"No." At the rather dead tone, Randy was giving a snort of laughter, flicking to pages of his own suit designs.

"I've toyed between all white, and silver accents, here and there."

Andrew slowly nodded before he rose from where he sat and flew out of the gardens. He came back a moment later with a swatch of white fabric that looked to be _satin._ "It's from your fashion room. What about making the accents out of this?"

There was a beat of silence before Randy was jerking Andrew into a deep, loving kiss. "You. You are a perfect mate." Flicking his hand, Randy was teleporting another sketchbook to hand, flipping through it to show it had multiple designs with swaths of fabric stapled and taped to the page. Setting the silk against another swath of white fabric, Randy gave a nod. "Yes. Yes, perfect."

Andrew was blushing a dull purple before he was sitting back down, and leaning against Randy. "...So, are you going to make the outfits, then?"

"If you don't let me make the outfits for everyone, I'll probably cry and slowly suffer in a corner. And then get into a bar fight with whoever else is put in charge of it." There were a few more flips of the pages, the two seeing flashes of designs and fabrics that ranged from things Elle would like to things Sam would like. There was even a flash of an outfit that looked like a stylized form of what _Clockwork_ usually wore.

Danny gave a quiet laugh, looking amused before his eyes slightly widened. "So...who's going to be the best man?" There was a moment of silence, Randy and Andrew sharing a look before Randy was speaking.

"Depends...are we all going to have our own best man and is there gonna be a maid of honor."

"Jazz would kill me if she wasn't the maid of honor."

"And Sam would probably also kill you if she wasn't a bridesmaid. Same for Elle. So, on the best man front. Tucker, maybe, for you?"

"Who would you guys have for your best men?" Randy looked to Andrew, and then back to Danny, before giving a shrug.

"I dunno. I don't really have many close friends, ya know. Kind of do my own thing and all that, most of the time." A bit of a pause. "Although I vote Josh for Andy's best man."

"No, no, he'd be the ring bea- ...Are you two thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Annie and Stacy as the flower girls?" Randy grinned, seeming amused, because, really now. They _had_ to have the kids in the wedding.

"Exactly, my darling mate." Andrew caught Randy in a soft kiss, slightly nuzzling against him. "They would adore it, after all." Randy gave a little hum, returning the nuzzle and cuddling Danny close. And maybe rubbing circles into his sides.

" _Speaking_ of the kids...I haven't been the only one thinking of maybe...having them stay at Vidya for longer than a day or two at a time, right?"

"Nope," Danny hummed, on the edge of a purr.

"Definitely not just you," Andrew added, looking to relax against them.

"Of course, maybe wait for things to settle down a little bit. Besides, if we pretty much adopted three kids _before_ getting married, I'm pretty sure Maddie would kill us. And by kill, I mean she would tear us apart piece by piece."

"Yeah, but if we do it thirty days _before_ the wedding, then it's okay." The halfa looked rather proud of himself as he settled down. He paused, holding a hand out to Randy. "Sketchbook and pencils." Randy handed them over, contenting himself with rubbing at Danny's side and pressing little kisses to his neck.

"So we're all agreed that no matter what we're adopting those kids before the year is out," Andrew nodded, looking pleased as he settled against Randy a little more.

"Agreed."

"Very much agreed."


	53. Dresses Are Terrible With Sleeves

**Kit - Personally, I happen to liek dresses with sleeves. Espeically black dresses with long, robe-like trailing sleeves.**

 **Kas - Most dresses with sleeves are incredibly restricting.**

 **Kit - Point. I only like the loose drooping ones.**

 **Kas - Most of those don't look good.**

 **Kit - ...I never win with you.**

* * *

"Staaace. Whatcha doin'." Randy looked up to see that Stacy was on top of his head, the kids having come to visit for the day. They had found that there were a _lot_ more visits lately - not that any of them minded one bit. "You and Annie find Narnia, yet?"

"No. I kinda gave up." She settled down, looking satisfied as she watched what he was doing. "Whatcha doin'?"

"Just drawing," Randy hummed, and, really, Stacy had _very_ good timing, considering he was working on the flower girl dresses, right then. "Hey, Stace, what's your favorite color?"

"Blue," she responded with a hum. She slid down to sit in his lap, looking curious. "What are you drawing?" Randy tucked her close, moving the sketchbook to rest in her lap instead.

"You know how me, Danny, and Andy are all getting married this year? I'm designing outfits for that." Randy reached for one of the colored pencils on the table beside him, curled up as he started sketching something in. It was a dress similar to a sundress, but with multiple frills all along it. "What do you think of this dress?"

"It's...nice." The girl tilted her head at the picture, wrinkling her nose at it. Randy snorted at the reaction, flipping to a new page and sketching out a new model.

"Alright, what kind of dresses do _you_ like, then?" Stacy looked up at him, giving a shrug.

"I dunno." A hum, Randy looking down to Stacy for a moment before teleporting a small scrapbook to him, flicking it open. It looked to be a book of different swatches of fabrics, the man settling on the pages of blue.

"Which one do you like most?" There were a least a dozen choices, ranging from soothing pastels to bright, glittering things.

"Oooh." Stacy flipped through the fabrics that were more sparkly than the others, grinning widely at them. "I like these."

"Somehow, I had a feeling you might," Randy chuckled, curling around Stacy even more. Shifting her around, he started sketching a dress around the figure, making it long-sleeve dress with a bit of a high collar, the ends of the dress and sleeves ending in a frill-like design. "Huh...I'm really stuck on frills... Alright, what do you think. Sleeves, or no?" A moment of pause. "You know what? No. We're not doing sleeves."

Stacy nodded, looking satisfied. "Good. Sleeves on dresses are gross." A flip of the page and Randy was sketching out a new dress, this one sleeveless with thin straps holding it up. The front of it had a sparkly design in a v-neck style, the skirt part of it filled with ruffled and bunched up frills. There was also a little blue collar around the neck.

"Okay. Third time's the charm. How about _this_ one?"

The girl gave a quiet gasp, picking up the sketchbook and holding it close as she smiled up at him. "I _love_ it." She purred quietly, kissing his cheek. "I'm gonna go show Annie." With that, the girl was flying out of his lap and towards where Annie had last been seen.

"I'm so weak to tiny ghostlings," Randy sighed dramatically, blinking at seeing Josh sluggishly float by. "Josh? You alright?" There was a quiet moment where Josh just stared at him, giving a vague shrug. The child looked _exhausted_. "Hold on. I can fix this."

A blink and Josh was looking up at Andrew, a glance around showing he was in the gardens. Nodding, the child flopped over onto the ground, not moving. Andrew blinked down at him, looking startled. He hesitantly poked at the child, tilting his head. "Josh? Are you dead?"

"...Yes. For thirty years, cause of a car crash." Josh snatched the hand - very tiredly - before clinging to it as best he could. It was a rather weak grip. "Nightmares are stupid." There was a long silence where Andrew only stared at him before sighing. He pulled Josh into his lap carefully, running a hand through the child's hair. A moment later, the two were at the bottom of the pond, a purple shield around them.

There was a tiny squeak from Josh, who curled up to Andrew tightly. It was a long few moments before he was slowly relaxing, looking at all the fish swimming by with a bit of startled wonder. Settling down even more, he leaned against Andrew with a little yawn, and, it was suddenly...much more peaceful. And very, _very_ safe. Andrew smiled, continuing to run a hand through his hair and scratch lightly at his scalp. "Randy did this for me a while ago. I always thought it was rather nice."

"'S pretty." Another yawn, Josh leaning into Andrew even more, purrs starting to rumble out of him. "Feels safe with you."

"Yeah... That's what I think when Randy makes the shields." He pulled Josh a bit closer, tucking the child under his chin and barely noticing when a quiet thrumming sound started coming out of him. There was a few seconds before Josh was making a quiet little thrumming sound in return, curling up to Andrew even more and tail flicking out to wrap around the older's wrist. "Why don't you take a little nap, mon petit? I'll be here."

"Mmkay," Josh managed to get out, yawning widely before closing his eyes and relaxing, and, yes, a nap didn't sound so bad, at the moment. Besides, he had a feeling the nightmares wouldn't be so bad as long as he was in Vidya.

After a long while, there was a quiet knocking on the top of the shield, Danny smiling down at him with Annie on his back and giving a small wave. Andrew only rolled his eyes, trying not to laugh as he tucked Josh even closer. And, yes, this was rather nice. Danny looked to Annie, giving her a grin. "Hey, Annie, how much do you like ice and snow?"

"I am _still_ gonna find Narnia, one day!" Annie declared, clinging to Danny's neck while looking at him curiously. "Why?" There was a moment before there was a bubble of ice wrapped around them, Danny holding Annie close. Annie gave a gasp, bouncing in Danny's hold and looking _gleeful_. "Ice ice ice ice ice ice ice ice ice _I love the cold_." Danny gave a quiet chuckle, making sure that the ice was rather thin, because he was pretty sure that she wasn't an ice core.

Annie was flying in little circles around the bubble, brushing against the ice and giving a little giggle. "How come ice is always white and blue? How comes it's never any _other_ colors."

"That's because ice is frozen water. Unless it's messed with, have you ever seen water from the human world that's not white or blue?"

"...No, but I've seen pink water in the Ghost Zone, so doesn't that mean Ghost Zone ice can be pink?"

"Maybe. I dunno, things work a little differently, in the Ghost Zone. Things don't always make sense." He hummed, nudging her hand towards the ice. Annie was blinking before spreading her hand out over it, wrinkling her nose.

"'S not that cold. I mean, it's cold, but not _that_ cold."

"Yeah, that's because I made it pretty thin, so that the cold won't really affect you much. You should have seen Randy." Danny gave a quiet laugh, shaking his head. Annie only hummed, settling back down in Danny's lap and nuzzling against him.

"It's pretty. Can you make things out of ice?"

"Yep." Danny looked down to his hand, a blue glow surrounding it as something started to form in it. It took a long moment before an ice tiara was formed. Danny grinned, handing it to Annie. "For my little princess."

There was a gasp of utter _joy_ , Annie shoving the tiara on before hugging Danny tightly, grin _beaming_. "I'm the ice princess!"

"Yeah, you are." Danny hugged her back, nuzzling against her. Annie gave loud, rumbling purrs, hugging Danny back and nuzzling against him in delight.

"So this is where the party is," Randy snorted, raising an eyebrow at seeing both mates bubbled, Stacy on his back. "Having fun?"

"Very much so," Danny hummed, the ice shield melting away. From the pond, they could hear a 'sh!' Andrew glancing to them in annoyance before looking back down to Josh.

"Sorry, sorry," Randy waved, quieting his voice. "You know, it's kind of starting to get late...you kids wanna stay for dinner and maybe overnight?" Alright, Randy would admit it was an excuse to spend more time with them, but _tiny ghostlings_.

Stacy grinned at him, clinging tighter. "Uh, _yes?_ Your food is _amazing!_ "

"Just for that, you can help me cook and get to taste-test everything."

"Woo!" At another hush, she grinned nervously. "Sorry." Annie was already flying over to her sister and speaking to her in a rambling mess as she showed off her tiara.

::

Josh gave a little whine, vaguely feeling someone trying to wake him and nooo. He was safe and warm and everything felt perfectly perfect and he didn't want to and nooo. "Josh," Andrew whispered. "It's dinner time." There was a little squirm from the child before he was curling up in Andrew's arms, tucking himself close and near hiding in the coat. Andrew rolled his eyes, nudging at him again. "Josh, come on. I know for a fact you haven't eaten, today. It's time for dinner."

"I've eaten," Josh complained, yawning widely as he rubbed at his eyes, one hand tightly gripping Andrew's shirt. "...Maybe." Randy, who was passing by while setting plates on the table, gave an amused snort.

"You know, he acts like a teen when around us, but when it's just you, he acts about _Annie's_ age." At that, Andrew was looking amused as he gently set Josh down on the chair. And unattaching him from his shirt. At the action, there was a tiny little whimper of a whine that was barely heard.

"Fine, fine. If you _don't_ want cookies after dinner." As he spoke, he sat down in his own seat, picking Josh up and setting the child down in his lap because he was _far_ too weak.

"That's rude," Josh huffed, happily nuzzling under Andrew's chin and settling down, and, yes. Andrew cuddles were supreme.

"He's French, it's the default setting," Randy snorted, nudging the other two into their seats. For Annie, that happened to be _Danny's_ lap, the girl still rambling about how she would rule Narnia with an iron fist once she found it.

"You know, they've already got, like, _four_ rulers," Danny pointed out with amusement, absently combing through her hair and he _really_ needed to find a brush.

"I shall defeat them in combat and dethrone them before ruling myself," Annie nodded, Randy giving a snort of laughter as he sat down next to Stacy.

"I think the White Queen tried that. It didn't turn out well, for her."

"She was foolish, and ruled too harshly," Annie huffed. "I would rule with grace, and only give them reason to fear me when the situation called for it." There was a gleeful humming from Vidya, and, yes, she _adored_ this child.

"Why don't we take it in baby steps," the teen suggested. "Like dinner first." Annie nodded, happily pulling her plate closer and munching on the food, humming in delight. Randy food was the _best_ food.


	54. Knights Move in an L

**Kit - Dudes. Dudes...I really really love how this chapter turned out. Just that first part with Randy, man...**

 **Kas - And there's a REASON for the Soul Shredder thing! I promise!**

 **Kit - Defintely a reason.**

* * *

When Randy landed on the crumbling island, he hadn't expected it to be so...run down. Vines were creeping out of holes in the walls, and pieces of rocks were falling, causing the island to get smaller and smaller by the day. Even the door was cracked and ready to fall apart, looking like it had gone through many a storm. Most of the holes looked rather recent, the broken off stone not that worn down. The only thing he could think of would be the fight with Danny and Pariah, but...

Walking across carefully, Randy had one gun in hand as he listened carefully for any noise. It seemed like the island was abandoned - and for good reason. He himself would be as far away from here as he could get, but...he had to check. He had to make _sure_.

He only managed to walk down the stone hallways for a few moments before he was floating into the air, the echoing sounds of footprints too much for his nerves. Following the broken, crumbled walls and scorch marks, it didn't take long to find the Sarcophagus of Forever Sleep. And what he saw had him swearing quietly in his native language.

The once bright colors were dull and faded, the glow around it near non-existent. Cracks were spreading out from the keyhole, some looking aged and others looking _very_ recent. Even the ancient writing on the bottom - the runes that kept him _sealed_ \- they were near...erased, almost. As if they had been carved off-

"Why do you stand before my King?"

"To make sure he's never King again." Behind him the Fright Knight stood, his sword drawn as he crouched, ready for battle.

"Is that meant to be a threat?" At the words, Randy gave a wickedly feral smirk, eyes flickering white as he glanced over his shoulder at the knight, his back still to him.

"Threat? What need would I have of that when your King has already been defeated...there's nothing left for him but true death."

"And yet he still lives. What do you plan to do, pitiful ghost?" The armored ghost hadn't moved an inch, ready for battle at a second's notice.

"It's not my place to end this battle," Randy spoke quietly, launching at Fright Knight and firing a bullet at him, aimed straight for his core. "But I can delay what you've been doing." With the runes carved off...Pariah's power would be too great to contain. Especially since he still had the ring when he had been imprisoned. Fright Knight rose his sword, blocking the bullet with a grunt of surprise.

"I will protect my King!"

"As I shall protect mine..."

::

"You fight well, for a ghost," Fright Knight said through his pants. Randy only tried to get his breath back as he clutched his side, shaking fiercely with cuts and wounds _covering_ him.

"You fight well for a knight without a King." Another gasp of breath, Randy not taking his eyes off the other for a second. "We're on equal footing. This fight won't end."

Fright Knight had his own fair share of scrapes and bullet wounds, trying to not lean on his sword _too_ much. "So then we are at a draw." Randy glanced towards the sarcophagus, only a few runes remaining.

"Smart of you...there was no access to the key so you tried to destroy the power source of it." Vlad had given the key to Clockwork after his and Danny's truce. There was no chance of Fright Knight getting that key again, so instead...he had bidded his time until he could do _this_. "Your loyalties never wavered, did they."

"I am the King's Knight. My loyalties stand throughout all of time." With a small huff, Fright Knight looked over Randy with an appraising gaze. "As such with your King."

"There is a fight that will happen soon, with this path you've set out on..." Randy's words were quiet and soft, but they rang with absolute truth. "When we face in battle with our Kings, one of us will die. And it will depend on which King of ours wins."

"Then we will see whose King is truly meant to rule." Fright Knight gave a nod, moving aside for Randy. "You may leave peacefully."

"Heh, so you sense it too, then...that fight...isn't meant for right now." Randy was used to fights. He was _far_ too used to them. But this one...someone whose powers mirrored his own, and had _centuries_ of practice with them? He was surprised he _was_ still alive. "I don't suppose you'd stop what you're doing."

"Would you?"

"Not for a single second."

::

"Randy?! Are you okay?!" At the panicked yells, Randy just barely managed to look up his mates, legs giving out on him as he sunk to the floor. Shivering fiercely, and gaze blurring for a moment, he shook his head. He...he had to tell his King something...he had to deliver his report...right? Danny and Andrew were at his side in a second, the two carrying him to the couch as Danny flew off, coming back a moment later with a first aid kit. Andrew was already phasing Randy's clothes off, and making room for Danny to work. "Randy, mon chevalier, tell us what happened."

Randy stared at them blankly for a long few moments, finally catching Danny's wrist and stilling his movements. "Fright Knight seeks to waken his King...the runes on the Sarcophagus of Forever Sleep have been carved and peeled away. When he's finished, Pariah will once again be awake...I failed in stopping the Fright Knight."

Danny looked down at him for a long moment before nodding. "You did what you could, and you've delayed him. That's all I could ask." He pressed a kiss to Randy's forehead before shooing his hand away so he could get back to healing his wounds.

There was the gentle sensation of hands on his cheeks, Randy's gaze going to Andrew, who was giving him a gentle smile. "Do you want to tell us a little more of what happened?" And...right...not just his King and Prince...but his mates. Who were probably a little pissed off at him, for going without telling them.

"I...wanted to see if that vision was true," Randy quietly admitted, hissing as Danny pulled away the hand that was clutching his side. Both his hand and side were _coated_ in ectoplasm. "I didn't expect the thing with Fright Knight, though..."

Danny gave him a small nudge and an expectant glance. "What thing with Fright Knight, Randy? We need you to tell us more." Partially so he could know how to fucking treat these wounds and _how many were there_?!

"There... _might_ have been a _little_ bit of a fight," Randy chuckled nervously, wincing a bit as Danny shifted him to get at the wound better. "I was trying to stop him from peeling away the rest of the runes, at first, but then it was just..." An uneasy expression. "Like it was more than that..."

"What was it, love?" Andrew held his hand, looking uncaring of the ectoplasm that stained it. "You say it's more than that, what was it?"

"It was more...like we weren't just fighting over Pariah waking over, but...for what we believed in," Randy mumbled. "Our Kings, our ideals, our kingdoms...we were knights fighting for the ones we believed in, and..." A trailing silence, Randy shuddering and looking down more, bangs covering his eyes. "I was terrified... Andy, I've never been so scared in my life than when fighting him."

"Why were you scared?" Andrew held his hand tighter, leaning forward until his forehead was resting against Randy's. His free hand reached up to lightly rub behind Randy's ear as he spoke quietly. "Why were you scared when you fought him?"

"...He could have killed me," Randy mumbled, still shivering and fear _clear_ in his voice, quiet as it was. "If he wasn't just trying to drive me off, he could have killed me _easily_ \- We have the same powers. The exact same powers...only he's had _centuries_ of knowledge of how to use them. He knew every aspect of my powers before I could even _think_ of what to do...I was terrified because when I face him again... When I face him again, he'll be _trying_ to kill me..." There was a pause before Andrew was rubbing circles with his thumb onto Randy's hand.

"But I'll be there to help you, and we won't let anything happen." Him. He'd be there. Because Danny...would be busy with a fight of his own that no one could interfere with. Randy only gave a bit of a nod, gaze falling down again as he let Danny continue to patch him up. And, right...he would have Andrew. And whatever god was out there knew they always fought best when at each other's side.

"On the bright side, I managed to get a _few_ good hits in, so he'll be a bit busy taking care of those wounds instead of freeing Pariah _quite_ so soon." One of the reasons the cut on his side was so deep. Had to get the spirit to stay still for a long enough moment _somehow_.

Danny gave a small nod at hearing that. There was a long moment of silence before he sighed, not even pausing from where he was still attending to Randy's wound. "Beginning of summer." He didn't know exactly when, but...

Andrew smiled, leaning against Danny. "That means we still have a couple months to prepare, and be ready for when it happens. And perhaps get you to actually _stick_ to the training schedule," he teased.

" _Or_ we can come up with incentive to get him to train with us on time," Randy hummed, starting to relax under the two's attention. "Clever as we are, I'm sure we can think of _something_ to tempt him."

"Ooh, I'm sure we could think of a couple things." Andrew kissed at Danny's cheek, lightly nuzzling against it.

Danny rolled his eyes, nudging at Andrew. "Oh shut up and hand me that wash cloth." Andrew laughed but did as told, Randy rolling his eyes and humming a bit more, eyes closing. That had been...a _very_ exhausting fight. "Good thing the kids aren't coming over, today."

"Yes, I don't think Randy could handle Stacy's look at seeing him this bad off," Andrew mused, kissing Randy's forehead and nudging him so the older's forehead was resting against his shoulder instead, hand lightly running over the shoulder blades. "Well, at least it's good we've gotten our speed-healing all sorted out." Because otherwise this...would have been a lot more worrying of a situation than it already was.

"Do you two ever shut up," Danny huffed, not hiding his smile very well.

"I don't know, mon cher, do you? I mean, if we're being honest, you talk a _great_ deal more than we do," Andrew teased, blowing a puff of breath into the teen's face.

"Lies, Randy talks way more."

"So we both agree that we're better than Randy." Glancing down at said ghost, and seeing he was very clearly passed out, Andrew gave a heavy sigh. "How bad is it?"

"Awful," Danny responded bluntly. "It went in pretty deep. If it had been higher..." It could have hit his core. Andrew nodded, glancing to Danny's engagement ring. The white was glowing just a _touch_ dimmer than it normally should, which, really...

"Knights, huh..." Andrew gave a shake of his head, curling around Randy a little and rubbing at his scalp again. "This was the equivalent of tossing fourteen-year-old you into a fight with a pissed off Plasmius."

"Yeah," Danny agreed as he started to carefully wrap a bandage around Randy's waist. "Including the fact that Plasmius always held back." He sighed, shaking his head. "This is...how things were meant to be."

"Doesn't mean I have to like it," Andrew muttered bitterly, sighing roughly after a moment. "Sorry. I know none of this is your fault." Still...they... In all honestly, they were still sometimes just _kids_. They had barely passed the age of _twenty-one_ , Danny not even that. And they were expected to...to save worlds and then rule one of them?

Danny gave a small nod, pulling a blanket over Randy before turning to Andrew and slumping against him, looking _exhausted._ "I really hate seeing him like this."

"As do I, but there's not much more we can do besides to let him heal and make sure he's comfortable." Andrew shifted a bit before teleporting all three of them to the bed, gently laying Randy down in the middle before pulling the blankets over them. "We're...really not ready for this, are we?" If Randy was this bad off from a _skirmish_...

Danny gave a small shake off his head, hiding his face in Randy's shoulder. When he had last fought Pariah, he had been fifteen, and without Vlad's help he would have died, and Pariah would have taken over both worlds. How was it that now he was expected to _kill_ him by himself? "No. We're not."

Spring was just beginning...and they were expected to fight Pariah - at his full power - at the beginning of summer? With no way to seal him? They... They really _weren't_ ready for something like this...

* * *

 **Alright, the reason that the Soul Shredder didn't work on Randy is because that's basically like- Okay. Knight powers are kinda cancelled out against each other. Randy feels fear, yeah, but not his worst nightmare. If he were more in touch with his core... Well, that'd just be spoilers, sweetie.**


	55. What a Great Birthday

**Kit - Danny has bad luck with birthdays.**

 **Kas - He really does, doesn't he? He's...twenty now, huh?**

 **Kit - Nineteen.**

 **Kas - I can never remember.**

 **Kit - Fair enough.**

* * *

The blast rang across the room, the sound of powerful energy ringing off of steel. It was immediately paired by another sound, this one of steel on steel, a curse quietly echoing around the room as it was paired with a sharp blast of energy. There was a moment of utter silence in the training room, all three ghosts inside sizing each other up equally before they were launching off again.

It was mess of one-on-one, two-on-one, and anything in between, the three switching between fighting each other and working together at a moment's notice. The three were fighting at full power, Andrew's knives crackling and sparkling with sharp energy while Danny's sword was flaring with power. Each dodged shot was quickly followed up with another one, not a single attack held back. Each hit was quickly shrugged off, the fight barely pausing for half a moment.

It had hardly been a month but the three had been training non-stop since Randy's fight with the Fright Knight, their powers increasing in leaps and bounds at the constant usage. Each time Andrew was backed into a corner he would suddenly be across the room with knives flying at the two, reality shifted in just the right way for him to have never been in the spot at all.

Each time Danny was facing too many attacks he was raising ice shields that didn't shatter once, holding strong before he was launching his counter-attack, sword feeling as easy to use as his flight. Randy had improved the most, teleporting and speed leaving him hard to catch or pin down, the man never in one spot for more than a second before he was firing and darting away, each shot ringing true.

"Ah, fuck, soufflé!" Andrew held his shoulder with a wince and _fuck_ that hurt. Randy and Danny were stopping their attacks at once, Danny's sword sheathing itself and Randy teleporting to Andrew's side, a small bag in hand before he was nudging Andrew to sit down against the wall. Phasing his clothing out of the way, it was a moment before he gave a nod.

"Not too bad, at least, considering where I was _aiming_." Digging around in the bag, Randy was pulling out a few things, starting to work on healing the shoulder.

Andrew glared at him, giving a huff. "Yeah, well, it still fucking hurts." He tried to stretch out his shoulder before grimacing and nope. Nope. Bad idea. Just gonna...sit there. Not moving.

"Oh, relax," Randy tsked, pulling out a purple paste and spreading it on the shoulder. Barely a few seconds and the area was completely numb, pain near non-existent. "You've been shot in worse places. Besides, your kid is better with healing tonics than _I_ am." Josh had been _very_ helpful with their healing supplies.

Andrew slowly rose to his feet, stretching out his shoulder again before wrinkling his nose. "I don't like it."

Danny gave him a smile, lightly kissing the tip of his nose. "Wanna call it a day with training, then?"

"Considering his arm is soon gonna be numb, that'd be a good idea," Randy sighed, checking Andrew over a little more before handing him a glass vial. "Drink that. All of it." A moment and he was downing one of his own before handing another to Danny. "Same to you."

"What _is_ it," Andrew asked as Danny drank his without question. Randy paused long enough to help Andrew get his shirt back on before he was answering.

"Something that'll restore the energy you've used and also speed up your healing factor. You should be back to 100% by the morning, at the latest." There was a long pause before Andrew huffed, drinking the potion and making a face as he handed the vial back to Randy. "Yeah, the taste sucks, and too much of it in a short amount of time makes it less effective, but it's good for now. Now, who wants hot chocolate, cookies, and cuddles in front of dumb television shows?"

Danny was quick to raise his hand, looking excited. Glancing over to Andrew, he nudged the man until he was giving a sigh and raising his own hand. "Fine." A flash and they were in the sitting room, Randy blinking at the gaggle of ghostlings on the couch, Annie and Stacy fighting over which cartoon to watch. Josh, at seeing them, gave a little wave, curled up in a corner and looking rather content to watch his sisters fight to the death. Annie spotted them next, gasping as she tackled Danny in a hug.

"Danny!" Said teen was happily catching Annie and nuzzling against her in delight, Stacy cackling in triumph as she turned to the cartoon of her choosing. Her cackling didn't stop until Randy was returning with treats and stuffing one in her mouth. Annie was only happily nuzzling back against Danny and looking up at him with a wide smile. "How was training?"

Danny gave her a smile, ruffling her hair as he sat on the couch with the girl in his lap. "Training was pretty good. How was your day, though?"

"Still no Narnia, but I _might_ have seen Aslan, so it's close by, at least. That and Josh took us to the marketplace to look around for a bit," Annie smiled, enjoying the attention as she happily relaxed in Danny's lap. While the others settled in, Josh quietly shifted to the arm of the couch, making a very clear and obvious space for Andrew to sit down. Andrew gave him a smile, sitting down beside him and reclining out a bit and ugh. His muscles were so sore.

"How about you, Josh? How was your day?" A small tilt of his head, Josh seeming to think about it before he gave a slow nod.

"I got work done on the story I'm writing, and I re-read Ticking Hands. Again." Josh shifted to where his tail was flicking a little before curling around him, Josh watching the other carefully. "Hurt shoulder?"

"Randy said morning at the latest." Andrew gave Josh a small nudge closer towards him, smiling tiredly at the child. "I'll be fine. Did you find anymore world shattering revelations in Ticking Hands?"

"No, but I'm suspicious of Andrea's _true_ backstory, and the part her parents had to play in it." Josh carefully floated to sit in Andrew's lap, making sure he wasn't leaning against his chest or either of the shoulders. Andrew wrapped his good arm around Josh with a quiet hum, looking rather amused.

"Too bad you'll never find out." Josh drooped a little at that, and, really, how cruel. As if dealing with the cliffhanger of The Soundless Clock wasn't enough, now he _never_ would know the true story of what had happened to start the mess with the shadows. Beside them, Randy was giving Andrew a _look_. "Josh, when is your birthday?" Andrew only grinned to Randy.

"I...dunno..." Josh seemed to be thinking of the question very seriously, confused for a moment. "F...all? I think?"

"Right, sorry. Stacy, Annie, when's your brother's birthday?" Stacy was the one to look up, amused smirk on her face.

"October 31st." The smirk grew a bit. "The nuns all thought he would grow up to be a demon. They were _kind_ of right, depending on how you see ghosts."

Andrew grinned, settling back on the couch a bit. "Wonderful." Josh only curled up against his good shoulder, curling into a tiny ball and lightly nuzzling at the spot where his core rested. And maybe trying to hide in the crook between his arm and the couch because _someone_ wasn't wearing their usual trenchcoat. "So, have you kids eaten, today?" Andrew was giving Josh a small nudge as he asked the question, raising an eyebrow.

"We ate stuff from the marketplace," Annie helpfully put in, pausing from where she was crawling up Danny's side to try to get to his shoulders. "It was all really sugary and sweet and after eating it, _that_ was when I saw Aslan."

"...Ah-"

"I'll make lunch!" Danny was grinning at his mates, already standing and looking excited. Randy looked ready to argue before sighing in defeat.

"You're too stubborn. Fine, you can make lunch."

"Woo! Come on, Annie!" He was gonna give these kids a _real_ lunch.

"You know, Randy," Andrew said with his eyes closed. "He's going to make them sandwiches."

"I know, it hurts me deeply," Randy sighed dramatically, flopping over onto the couch and curling around Stacy, who was happily watching her cartoon show. It's not like they _had_ television in their cave, after all. "Still, they'll probably appreciate it more than _my_ lunches."

While Randy talked, Josh was once again trying to curl up into a small ball between Andrew's arm and side, tail curling around his own lower body tightly. There was a pause before Andrew was somewhat shifting Josh into his lap. With a nod, a purple shield was forming around the child, still big enough for him to move and float. There was a long moment of silence, Josh cautiously testing the boundaries of it before giving loud, delighted purring. Nodding, and giving a quiet little chirp, he curled up into a ball on the bottom of it, looking perfectly at ease.

Andrew gave a quiet laugh, gently picking the shield up and setting it on the ground near his feet. And then maybe picking his feet up and resting them _on_ the shield. Randy watched with amusement, snorting when Josh purred even louder, looking like a contently curled up cat at the bottom of his shield. "I'm not sure if that kid is more like you, or _me_ , at this point." As Andrew made the shield a tad smaller, he stared down at Josh.

"Danny," he said with a nod. Randy glanced down at the ghostling again, Josh's tail flicking as he curled up even more.

"Definitely Danny."

"What," they heard the teen call from the kitchen. The only response was varying degrees of laughter.

::

"You know Citadel tells me the second you get past the doors, yes?"

"I know that she _cheats,_ " Danny said with a pout. Clockwork only gave a quiet chuckle, lightly ruffling Danny's hair and nudging him towards the sitting area.

"She doesn't _cheat_. She just...doesn't exactly play fair."

"Which is cheating," the teen pointed out. Danny sat in his usual chair, leaning back a bit and pulling on his scarf. There was a quiet moment before his hands were lightly tugged away from the scarf, and a beaded pillow nudged into them as a replacement.

"Anxious?" Clockwork took a seat beside him, and, really...clarification wasn't needed. They both knew what lay ahead.

"Ah... Yeah, I guess." Danny pulled at the pillow and stretched it out, looking a bit lost. "What if...things don't go how they're supposed to? What if I..." Lose? Die? _Fade?_

"I..." Clockwork sighed, looking worn and tired. "I can't see the fight, Daniel. Hard as I try, and sure as I know... If you are to die in this battle, you will return as a spirit. Anything beyond that, however...I can't see it."

"And...what if I don't die?" Because that...was a possibility. He could actually survive. And that would be... _amazing and horrible at the same time._ At that, there was a guilty little squirm from Clockwork, who was looking at the floor.

"All humans die eventually."

"What aren't you telling me."

"With your formation of your ghost half..." A tiny little shrug, Clockwork coughing just a _bit_. "There was...a lot more radiation from the portal, than with Vladimir's. All that stress on your body and physical self...your body would have started breaking down at age 30, with your death occurring sometime within that decade."

That...still would have given him more time - _an entire decade._ If he survived this fight, he could have another decade before he had to be the Spirit King. "...I see." Danny rose to leave, gently setting the pillow down.

"Oh, and Daniel?" Danny looked over to the man, seeing him give a warm smile. "Happy birthday."


	56. Do I Get an A?

**Kit - He deserves an A. Also, Josh is a LOT like Andy.**

 **Kas - And also very protective over his sisters.**

 **Kit - Yup. The only thing he has to worry about for them now, though, is tickle attacks.**

* * *

"So, you said that if I could find a real ghost for the final, I could get an A."

"And I take it you found a real ghost, then." The professor's voice was full of condescension, Lyla giving a rude hand gesture from behind the man's back.

"In fact," Danny said with a laugh. "I have." At his side, Randy returned to the visible plane, grinning widely.

"Sup." While the professor gave a high-pitched noise of terror and fell backwards _over his desk_ , others in the class were only looking like they were ready to break and ask question after question. "Easy there, teach, I don't think you want to become a ghost yourself _quite_ yet. Wait for tenure."

"So, do I get an A?" Danny was near _bouncing_ at Randy's side, looking excited as he grinned widely.

"Hold up, Fenton." One of the students was standing up, doubtful expression on his face. "How do we know this isn't just some hoax, or something, huh?"

"I mean, I could reach my hand into your chest and phase your heart out," Randy shrugged, moving to float on his back and hover next to Danny. At the terrified look of the student, he waved him of. "Nah, just kidding. That'd kill you." Danny rolled his eyes, swatting at Randy's chest.

"What did I say?" He was giving a look of mock discipline, shaking his head at the man.

"Mm...something about not killing any students," Randy mused, zipping around the room for a moment before stopping by Lyla and bubbling her. "And I said I wouldn't, but I'm allowed to mess with them a _little_." He gave a small wink to Lyla, who was one of Danny's friends. All she _really_ knew at the moment, however, was that Danny was just _very_ close friends with some ghosts.

Danny rolled his eyes, looking amused. "Yeah, alright, just a little." The teen - nineteen now - sat down in his seat with a hum, raising an eyebrow to see the purple bit of his ring glowing brightly, and, huh. Thought Andrew was busy, today.

"Now, any questions about the hereafter, and all that?" Randy asked, letting Lyla go and settling down on the professor's desk, watching in amusement as the man tried to recover himself.

"I have one," called Annie from where she sat on Danny's desk, the teen looking amused and trying not to coo _too_ much. The rest of the class were all in different degrees of _terror_ because oh dear god tiny dead child appearing from nowhere.

"Aw...what's your question, then, sweetie." So _that's_ what Andrew had been up to, earlier, when he was looking all smug.

"How come you're so perfect." Annie looked incredibly proud of herself as Danny hugged her close and aww. _Aww._ That was just _adorable._

"That is not a question, but if it was, I'd personally give you extra-credit for it," Randy chuckled, seeming rather amused. "Any other questions?"

"Yes." There was the sound of desks scraping across the ground along with chairs, Josh seeming rather emotionless from the terror he had caused a group of students after appearing. Although the look in his eyes showed he was very much enjoying himself. "Has this class been informed that ghosts like us are ectoplasmic entities and are in no way related to things such as lingering souls of humans that are tethered to a specific person, place, or event?"

Danny was the one to answer, looking rather smug, himself. "I've tried to tell them, but they kinda like to latch onto what they think is the truth."

"Well, that's kind of stupid," Stacy pointed out, appearing next to Randy and leaning against him. "We're kind of just like humans only with neat powers. And, ya know, obsessive tendencies and feral natures." A pause. "Except Annie. She's always been feral, but she loves us anyways."

"If that's true," called a brave voice from their seat. "Then what makes you ghosts?"

Andrew scoffed from where he was on the ceiling, becoming visible. "What? The fact we died isn't enough? Now you want party tricks?" After the new noises of terror died down, one of the students looked to Danny like he was the _antichrist._

"How...many ghosts did you _bring_." Randy, at this point, was floating things around and bubbling them in equal abandon, Josh standing at the teacher's desk and quietly staring at the professor and terrifying him into _maybe_ using an inhaler.

"We're not _ghosts_ ghosts, but we're still _ghosts_ ," Randy explained, giving a vague little hand gesture. "I mean, at the basics, we were alive and human once, but after dying we came back as this."

"What he means," Josh spoke softly, gaze on the class and face still emotionless. "Is that we died in traumatic deaths that forced our souls and minds to linger. That pain allowed us to slip between dimensions into what you refer to as The Ghost Zone. There, our minds - our souls - took on physical forms that resembled our appearances when alive. Or at least, to some degree... We're ghosts because we were once living and breathing just like you...the only difference for us is that our life ended."

Danny gave Andrew and Randy a careful glance. If they said no, he wouldn't, but if he was going to be dying soon, anyway... "Technically, I brought one ghost. The others decided to tag along, but that just means more data to collect, right?"

"The male child scares me," someone admitted quietly, scooting away from Josh as much as possible. "I think he might be a demon." Randy, meanwhile, was giving a little shake of his head to Danny. Best not to be _that_ dramatic until his _last_ year of college. Wouldn't want to spoil the grand finale, after all.

Danny nodded, smirking at them. "So, there _should_ only be five ghosts here, but... I _am_ from Amity Park. Who knows how many there really are?"

"Uh, Professor?" One of the students was raising their hand. "Is class over? Like, now? Can it be over now? Please?"

"N... No. No. We still need to do finals." He looked to the ghosts with a sigh. "Would you...like to talk about your experience as...ghosts?"

"Why not," Randy shrugged. "You guys are sure to learn more about ghosts just by a quick conversation with us than anything in _these_ textbooks." Stacy was flipping through one of the textbooks, nose wrinkling at some of the information. "That bad?"

"There's no mention of ghost flora or fauna. At all- They don't even mention _blood blossoms_. These are- Danny's _parents_ could write a better textbook than this."

Andrew scoffed, hopping beside Randy and gently shoving him and Stacy aside. He cleared his throat, brushing his coat off a bit. "Please. _I_ could teach this class better." At hearing the teacher's sputterings, Andrew rose a cold eyebrow to him. "I _do_ have a teaching degree, and obviously much more experience with the topic."

"So, uh...what's happening? I mean, I think ghosts just took over the class-"

"No, no," Lyla waved off. "Ghosts just took over the class, that's right." Randy snorted as he picked up Stacy and flew over to sit on top of an empty desk, looking rather amused. Danny scooted over to sit in the seat of said desk, giving Randy a smile as he leaned his forehead against the man's back.

"Alright, then. What preconceptions do you have about ghosts?" Josh had stolen a textbook and was sitting on the teacher's desk, quietly flicking through it as he leaned a bit towards Andrew. A moment and a student was raising their hand.

"Um...inability to interact with the physical plane unless they're a poltergeist?"

"You do know that poltergeist is _German_ for rumbling ghost, yes? And, second of all, all ghosts that I've seen have _some sort_ of influence on the physical plane." Andrew had, at this point, taken over the board, erasing everything that was on it before writing new things in it's place. Josh, flipping a page in the book, quietly spoke up.

"Our physical makeup is completely different from that of humans, but it's still tangible. Unless we're physically trying to phase through something, we can interact with things on _this_ dimensional plane as easily as we would our own. Or as easily as you do."

Next time it was Lyla raising her hand, looking like she was thoroughly enjoying the class. "So, one of the little ones mentioned ghost flora and fauna. Examples?"

"Well," Andrew huffed with a roll of his eyes. "The easiest example would be blood blossoms." A long pause, and the man was looking physically pained. " _Please_ tell me you at least learned about blood blossoms." His only response was various blank and hesitant looks, Josh sighing and shaking his head after a moment.

" _This_ is supposed to be higher education?"

"Josh, do me a favor and never go into the American public education system." Andrew was already at the board, a red marker in hand before he paused and narrowed his eyes. He held the marker out and called, "Randy." Randy was by his side in a flash, tilting his head curiously, Stacy staying behind on Danny's desk to happily play with his hair. Andrew handed him the marker with a nod. "Blood blossom, please."

"Oo, gotcha." A flash and Randy was drawing a diagram of a blood blossom with all parts labeled, using a different colored marker for the stem and explanation of the parts.

Giving a nod, Andrew gave the man a kiss to the cheek as reward. "This is a blood blossom, and should you come across a hostile ghost with no means of defense, this will be your best one. Once cut, the stem, and by extension the flower, release chemicals into the air within inches of the flower to produce an aura that can cause severe reactions in ghosts, and fatal if there's enough of them."

"If they're left uncut, however, they merely act as a deterrent," Josh added, pointing out the little patch of flowers Randy had drawn in a different area. "The aura is barely noticeable, and merely dazes and confuses ghosts when we stumble across them. If the ghost is aware, they can concentrate enough to either leave, or get rid of the flower as best they can. If not, they can spend hours wandering around in circles. Likely a great contributor to the 'wil-o-the-wisps' in ancient lore."

Andrew gave a nod, looking rather impressed. "This is why I recommend blood blossoms are used only in the most dire of situations."

A student rose their hand, looking confused. "Okay, but you're a ghost. Why do you recommend we use them at all?"

Narrowing his eyes at them, Andrew gave a quiet huff. " _Everyone_ deserves the knowledge and ability to defend themselves. If they use that power incorrectly, they'll get what's coming to them." After all. He and Randy did.

"Why do you humans have self-defense classes?" Josh added in, head tilting, not a trace of emotion on his face. "Not all ghosts are peaceful, and some of them _will_ attack humans if provoked, or in other situations. The same way humans attack humans. Rare, but...not as rare as we would like."

"Aaah! No! Nonono! Stop!" Stacy was in the back of the room, squealing and giggling as Danny and Lyla ruthlessly tag-team tickle attacked her, Danny holding the girl upside-down while Lyla went after her stomach. Josh had tensed up for a small moment and looked panicked before he was back to his quiet state, legs forming into a tail that flicked a little anxiously.

"And then you have humans like those, who ruthlessly attack children with tickles." Right...just tickles. Nothing else.

Andrew rose a quiet eyebrow to Josh, absently tugging him a bit closer. "Anymore questions?" One hand raised, the student speaking a bit hesitantly.

"Yeaaaah...why did that one's eyes just flash red? That...I feel like that's a thing that shouldn't happen." Josh blinked as he was pointed to, the child's voice completely deadpan as he answered.

"It was proof of the demon possessing me. He gets out of control sometimes."

Randy gave a quiet snort, looking entirely too amused. "Wow. Just wow." Definitely Andrew's kid, without a doubt.

"Ghosts are...very protective, as a rule. If you see a ghost's eyes that are red like that, and they aren't normally red? Run. Run as best you can." A few students exchanged rather terrified looks, one skeptic only gesturing towards Josh again.

"He's a kid. I mean, I get ghosts are pretty strong, and all that. But he can't be older than _seven_ -"

"I'm ten!" Josh whined, slipping and looking like a bratty child for a moment. And maybe moving to sulk in Andrew's arms, because, really. How rude. "Stacy is the one that's seven!"

Andrew held Josh a bit closer, a quiet thrumming noise coming from him as he spoke. "So, any other questions?"

"Okay, that one over there was purring, and now you're thrumming. Are ghosts, like, part cat? Or something?" Randy gave a snort at that, glancing to Danny and trying not to laugh again. _Some_ certainly were.

At that, Andrew looked startled. "Wait, what."

"Ghosts, as a species, are rather protective over our young," Randy explained, rescuing Stacy from the tickle attacks and sacrificing Annie instead. Nuzzling the girl, Randy took a seat on the desk. "A lot of times ghost children cross over as they died, children. We have a law, one that we _do not break_ , that spirit and ghost children are to be protected. Sometimes, attachments form between ghosts and the children of a parental or mentor nature."

"And," Danny added in with a quiet hum. "Ghosts are different species in general, meaning they have different behavior. They already said that ghosts are a bit more feral, and that includes near animalistic instincts." Danny held Annie close, only _slightly_ nuzzling against her.

"That mostly comes out with mates, close friends, and children they're close too," Randy picked back up. "Ghosts purr when content, reassuring others, or for other different reasons. That thrumming, you heard, is usually between a child and a guardian like figure, a sound to reassure them. Similar to purring." A pause, Randy grinning a bit. "Ghosts are also _very_ protective of young they're attached to, even if they don't quite realize it." As example, he gave a sharp little tug to a lock of Josh's hair, the child squeaking and making a little noise of startled pain. Andrew gave a quiet growl, tucking Josh closer and glaring at Randy. From the back, they could hear Danny snorting in amusement, the teen hiding his smile behind Annie. "Case in point." And, yes, Randy would just back away now.

"So...are these kids... _your_ kids, then?".

Andrew looked to Randy and Danny with somewhat wide eyes and... How would they answer _that?_ Randy only glanced down to Stacy before looking to the class. "That is a great question." A long moment of silence. "So! Besides blood blossoms, there's also other ghosts plants that can act as a deterrent- Or at least a bit of a shield."

"And many that are used as healing items, or used in potions and tonic, similar to human plants," Andrew added. Josh had settled down into a content little ball in Andrew's arms, nuzzling at his neck and giving happy little purrs.

"Not quite as consumable as human pills, but much more efficient," Randy nodded, looking rather amused. He would put money on Josh _knowing_ Andrew was weak when his neck was messed with. "Plus their reactions are a lot more reactive to our bodies, where we're _made_ of ectoplasm." Danny was raising his hand in the back, waiting for them to call on him and looking all too smug. Randy only rolled his eyes before doing so, and, really, whatever he was planning was going to be _something_.

"So then does that mean that ectoplasm is its own element?" This teen was pure evil. Randy was certain of it. Then again, so was he.

"Ask the mad scientists and alchemists." A vague wave to Andrew and Josh, and, _really_. This class was doomed.

Andrew was already grinning widely, with a glint in his eyes. " _Yes._ "


	57. One Year Down, Three to Go

**Kit - Yaay, they survived a year of college! Three more to go for Sam and Tucker.**

 **Kas - Danny survived! For now.**

 **Kit - Heh.**

* * *

"Woohoo! Only one year left!"

"Yeah, for you, maybe! I have _three_ years left."

"Well, at least your last day of this year was interesting," Randy snorted, him and Andrew in his human disguises. Now that they were far enough away from the college, Andrew had managed to use his powers to give the kids one as well, all of them seeming quite delighted with them. Although Josh was quietly holding the edge of Andrew's shirt as they walked. "Don't be surprised if some kids drop out."

Andrew seemed happy enough to keep the child close and _maybe_ ruffle his hair fondly. "Well then we'd know who the _real_ students are, wouldn't we?"

Danny groaned, leaning against Randy. "Dude, I _hate_ half the people that- Half the people that were in that major were from Amity Park and were doing it cause of Phantom."

"Well, maybe now that they've seen what it _really_ is, they'll drop out," Randy hummed, leaning back against Danny. "So, who wants to have a 'Hey, we made it through a year of college' party thing? Besides, the kids are hungry."

Annie nodded solemnly from Danny's arms. "I am the hunger that needs to be fed." A tug to Danny's shirt. "I must sink my teeth into the meat and blood of my enemies."

"...I like this kid," Tucker grinned, picking Annie up and grinning even brighter. "Good tiny monster child."

Danny only nodded, giving her a smile. "So, who wants to go to the Nasty Burger?" At the various looks from the kids, Tucker was chiming in.

"Remember, that's just one letter away from Tasty!" At Sam's look, Tucker shrugged. "That radio show we did ruined me and it will never get out of my head. _Ever_."

Danny laughed, nudging them along. "Come on, you'll love it. Even Sam and Tuck agree that it's great." A bit of a quick teleport from Randy and the group was soon settling in at the Nasty Burger, pushing two tables together so everyone had enough room. Randy had to be forced to sit down to rest since he was a bit winded from the teleport, Andrew and Danny going to get the food. Although, while Stacy and Annie settled down at the tables, Josh only remained stubbornly clinging to Andrew's shirt.

"Josh? Anything specific you want?" Andrew was giving him a small nudge and a smile, gesturing up towards the menu. Josh glanced at the menu, tilting his head before giving a shrug. He was fine with anything, really. "Are you or your sisters allergic to anything?" A moment of thinking, Josh giving a somewhat shake of his head.

"Annie hates ketchup, and she'll probably just pour some on her neck and pretend she was beheaded. She loves fries, though."

"And what about Stacy?" Andrew tilted his head, slightly bouncing Josh on his hip after picking him up as he looked at the menu curiously.

"She'll eat anything but she likes leafy foods more, right now, I think. So probably salad, or something like it."

Andrew nodded and looked to Danny with a small smile. "Sounds like we're ready."

Danny rose an eyebrow, looking towards Josh. "What about him?" Josh only went back to focusing on nothing, quietly leaning against Andrew and relaxing.

"I already know what to get him." Danny raised an eyebrow but gestured towards the counter anyways, where the cashier was waiting on them. The two made out the order and went back to their rather large group, sitting down, Andrew looking _exhausted._ This was why he never wanted to teach college.

"Hey, _you're_ the one who took over the class," Randy pointed out, giving a small scratch to Josh's scalp, the child giving a happy little purr. It was _hilarious_ how Josh's illusion had come out looking like a more childish form of Andrew. "This is your own fault for trying to teach _college_ students."

Andrew shook his head, Josh fully in his lap as he leaned back. " _Never again._ I only teach one college student, and that one's barely tolerable."

Danny hummed, sipping at his drink before nearly choking. "Hey!" Sam gave a quiet snort of laughter, looking rather amused.

"I mean, he's not totally _wrong_. Besides, he's been teaching you since high school. He's _allowed_ to complain about you at this point."

"...That doesn't mean I have to agree with it," the teen whined, only looking vaguely upset. Annie crawled into his lap before patting at his cheek, trying to cheer him up.

"But is he _wrong_ ," Randy pointed out, taking a sip from Andrew's drink and wrinkling his nose. "You have horrible taste in drinks."

Andrew looked down at his cup, giving a small shrug. "It's lemonade." Because at this point, he _knew_ Josh would steal as much of his drink as was physically possible. True to his thoughts, Josh stole the cup next, sipping at it and seeming rather delighted at the taste.

"You are weak," Randy shook his head, returning to his own drink. "You are _so_ weak."

"What? I like it, and the coffee costs even more."

"Yes, because we have to worry about cost _so_ much," Randy snorted, trying to steal the cup from Josh. He managed to scoot it a few inches across the table before Josh was snatching it and curling around the cup, looking protective of it. Andrew nudged Josh, making small motions to grab at the cup. It was a moment before Josh was relenting and handing the cup over, taking his own and seeming just as delighted that it was the same thing.

It was a long few minutes before their order was called, Sam and Tucker grabbing the meals and passing them out. Tucker paused, wrinkling his nose with a frown. "Chicken nuggets?" Andrew waved his hand, indicating he had ordered the meal. "...Why?" Tucker slid it over anyways, Annie only happily digging into her own meat-filled and fry-covered meal. Stacy gave a tsk, eating her salad a little more gracefully. "I like the tiny meat-loving one." Andrew shoved the nuggets towards Josh, taking a bite of his own tortilla wrap.

There was a long moment where Josh poked at one of the pieces before hesitantly eating it, blinking and giving a happy little hum. That was _delicious_. And very much appreciated after a long day of teaching college students that knew nothing. Andrew gave him a small smile, nudging again at Josh and gestured towards his youngest sister. Danny was only encouraging the behavior, eating as though it were his last meal. Josh raised an eyebrow, shaking his head. "Honestly. They're _far_ too much alike."

There was a loud snort of laughter from Randy, who looked like he was trying to stay quiet and failing. "Oh my god. He acts like a miniture you. He is legit you- That is freaking hilarious."

"What- No he's not." Andrew frowned, looking offended. Josh was one of a kind. Josh gave a quiet hum, glancing up to Andrew before looking back to Randy.

"That's not a bad thing, though. Being like Andy is a good thing." There was a moment of silence, Sam lightly nudging Danny's chair with a raised eyebrow, and, yeah, if they didn't adopt these kids, she would be questioning their sanity. Danny gave a small shake of his head, shrugging it off and silently telling them he'd explain it later. "Also this is mine." Josh pulled Andrew's cup back over to him, sipping at it again.

Andrew rolled his eyes, looking a bit amused. "Just eat your food, you tiny brat." The rest of the lunch went by rather quickly, at least three food wars starting up. Mostly between Sam and Tucker with the kids recruited into helping. Although Josh would take full blame for the last one, even if everyone else thought it was Tucker who started it. Andrew's chicken wrap was _very_ helpful, with that one. "So, then. I think that we should be going, before we get banned for... Randy, what are we going to be banned for, this time?"

"Mm...disturbing the other customers and causing a ruckus?" Randy suggested, giving a bit of a shrug as he cleaned up Annie's face. "Somethin' like that, at least. But, yeah, leaving before we're banned would probably be a good thing." Danny was meanwhile holding down the struggling girl, looking like he was having fun as the girl tried to squirm away, quietly whining.

"I'm good with that," Sam chimed in, dumping their plates and getting rid of the trays. "Who's up for a movie marathon at my place?" There was a pause where all three children shared a look before each of them rose a hand. "That answers that, then."

"How about the dragon movies," Danny suggested.

Annie gasped, looking excited. "Dragon movies?!"

"That's a yes to the dragon movies," Josh nodded, snagging Stacy and wiping her face clean as well before releasing her, the girl giving a huff.

"Woo! Let the summer begin!" Tucker cheered, Stacy and Annie joining the cheer.

There was a long pause, Danny giving a weak smile. "Yeah. To summer." He held his cup up in a mock-toast. Tucker was about to say more before he spotted the manager coming over, the man grabbing a child and fleeing.

"Celebrate later, we're gonna get banned again!" Sam was snorting as she grabbed her own child, heading for the door. Josh only quietly moved to hold his arms out to Danny, because, yes. Danny looked like he needed a hug. Danny easily scooped Josh up, giving a grin as he followed after his friends with a laugh. It was almost like they were fourteen, again...

With the added addition of some ghostlings and two adult ghosts who were also fleeing the rather pissed off manager. "I think he likes us," Josh grinned, waving to the manager from over Danny's shoulder.

The group ran before the Riters, Danny, and the children were all freezing in their places, a shudder going through them. Danny looked in a seemingly random direction, his eyes glowing a bright blue. " _The Old King rises again._ "

"Danny? Hey, what's wrong?" Sam and Tucker were stopping at once, both noticing that the kids in their arms were looking _terrified_ , darting for their respective ghost, Josh doing the same.

Danny stared at them, immediately changing to his ghost form, sword at his side. "Pariah is back."


	58. Mufusa And Sasha Are Guardians Of All

**Kit - Mufasa really loves Josh. Like, a lot.**

 **Kas - I just made myself sad.**

 **Kit - Wha- Why? (reason shared) ...Oh.**

 **Kas - Yeah.**

* * *

It took much longer for Vlad to get to his lab than it should have, the man's body shaking, and he himself barely noticing as he changed into his ghost form. He just had to get to where he had put it and _hide_ it. Destroy it, get rid of it, do _something_ with it. Anything but let _him_ find it. He just had to-

"Vlad Plasmius. Wasn't it?" At seeing the figure that stepped out of his ghost portal, Vlad was not ashamed to admit he felt true fear. This creature...this was not something he could deal with. He knew that well enough, but he couldn't- Pariah had the Ring of Rage. If he was allowed the Crown of Fire when fighting Danny...

"Ah, Pariah Dark. I didn't think I'd be seeing you again. At least, not for a few more centuries. I assume your pet came crawling back to help you out?" It was sealed enough to where the aura couldn't be felt, if he could just get Pariah to look elsewhere. Just long enough for him to do _something_ with it.

"The crown, _whelp._ Give it to me." He only held his hand out, grinning triumphantly. "I know you were the last to have it, in that fight."

"You also know that the power was too great for me," Vlad growled out, aura flicking around him before he managed to wrap it back around him, dimming it. He couldn't lose his temper...if he were to challenge this ghost- _Seriously_ challenge him...he wouldn't survive. "Why would I keep something that was of no use to me? A reason your 'Fright Knight' returned to you, I take it."

"Then where is it?" Pariah was already drawing his sword, glaring down at Vlad, and raising it threateningly. "I won't ask again."

"As I said, I had no use for it. Why should I know where it was after throwing it out?"

"You have far too much ambition to _throw_ something like that out." Vlad only flicked his eyes away, realization slowly dawning as he looked around the room. Fright Knight wasn't there, and if he was away from Pariah when he wa still weakened, it could only mean-

"I won't let you hurt that boy."

"Then I suppose what you want doesn't matter." Pariah swung his sword at the man, Vlad quickly dodging out of the way. Fright Knight was already on his way to track down Danny, it could be the only explanation. And if Pariah got to his full power by the time that fight happened...

"How rude." Raising a shield, the halfa winced at the clash of the sword against it. "Shouldn't you be in a different fight, right about now?"

"That fight can wait. After all, that little _brat_ will need all the time he can manage."

"Then I suppose I'll just have to help out with that, now won't I?"

::

"Wha- What do you mean _Pariah's_ back?!" Tucker was looking rather panicked, trying to keep himself from panicking even _further_. "Man, please tell me this is just a really bad joke."

Danny shook his head, his eyes still blue as he grabbed their wrists and flew towards... _somewhere_ in Amity Park. "I'm the King- the _true_ King. It was meant to happen. The fight _must_ happen."

Ghosts were already flitting to and fro over the city, all in different degrees of panic and fear. Although none of them went further than the edges of the town. Randy was the one to jerk Danny to slow down a bit. "Danny, we need to get the kids out of here. _Now_."

Danny looked to him, then down at Annie who was in his other arm, and to the children in his mates' arms before he was nodding and their group was inside Vidya. "Vidya, keep them here until we come back for them."

"Okay, great, kids are taken care of, now why are _we_ here?" Sam raised an eyebrow, only half watching as the lions bounded out of one the rooms, trying to carry the children away. Trying because Mufasa was having some problems prying Josh away from Andrew's side. Danny only looked down at them, his expression never changing.

"That included you." Tucker look shocked, and Sam looked as if she had just been _slapped_.

"Wha- No way! There's _no way_ you're keeping us locked away while you go out and face a fight that could _kill_ you!"

Danny was inches away from her in a flash, eyes narrowed. "This is not a fight for humans. You _will_ remain here until it's safe."

"Danny, _you're_ human, too," Tucker pointed out, worrying at his lip. "We can't just- We can't just _stay_ here. We've _seen_ what Pariah's capable of, and from what you're saying, this time there's no locking him up..."

"...No. There's not. This is how it's meant to be." Though he probably _should_ have teleported away at that point, he touched down on the ground, pulling his friends into a tight hug. "Take care of them until it's safe. You'll be safe here." He was just trying to _protect_ them, couldn't they understand that?

Sam looked ready to argue again before Tucker was laying a hand on her shoulder, silently shaking his head. This...really wasn't their fight, this time. "...Yeah. Yeah, alright. We'll keep them safe until you guys return. Until all _three_ of you return." A serious look to Danny. "One way or another."

Danny gave a nod, giving them a squeeze before looking to Josh, who'd yet to let go of Andrew. Danny bent down beside him, gently touching his shoulder. "Josh. He'll be back. I swear to you." It was a long moment before Josh gave a stilted nod, letting Mufasa scoop him up. Looking to the three of them, he gave another little nod.

"Be safe." The youngest of the three gave a nod of his own before taking hold of his mates' hands and teleporting them back to Amity Park.

" _PHANTOM!_ " The town was utterly silent as the cry rang out over the city, every ghost stilling to a halt and looking to the center of the town where two figures floated in the sky. Pariah Dark was looking straight at Danny Phantom, crown flaring brightly on his head.

"Ya know, I _think_ that's for you," Randy quietly muttered, eyes flaring a bright white as he gripped his guns tighter.

Danny managed a small smile as he drew the sword at his side, looking up to Pariah Dark and narrowing his eyes. Right. Witty banter. He could do this. "Hey, look! The old man woke up from his _nap!_ " Randy gave a quiet snort, Andrew looking _exhausted_ and shaking his head.

"You will pay for what was last done here, _child_." Pariah had drawn his own sword, nothing but rage in his gaze as he glared down at him. "My world will once again be _mine_."

Danny gave a quiet growl, looking up at Pariah with a fierce blue gaze. "Neither of the worlds was ever yours to begin with! You tried to steal this one, and you terrorized the one you were meant to rule!"

"I ruled what was in my right! I ruled what was given to me!" Pariah's aura flared and blazed around him, visible eye narrowed darkly. "I never wanted this world, foolish whelp. This world can rot, for all I care. I only did what I did to get back what was _mine_. Now that I have it...this world can _burn_. And you along with it!"

"You ruled what you were given and you abused it. In _my_ rule, that will _never_ happen," Danny's aura flared out just as much, a silent challenge as he gripped his sword, muscles tightening and ready to pounce at any moment and- A flash of movement and there was the sound of steel on steel in the air between them.

Randy had tilted his gun in just the right way to catch the sword Fright Knight had brought down, another gun shooting out to get distance between them as the latter backed away. "Andy! Shift so the humans cannot interfere! _Now_!"

Andrew was giving a nod, keyboard appearing in front of him and the man tapping out words, fingers flying across the keys. Some of the humans were blasted back from the site, and when others tried to step closer, they were...stopped. By a barrier? "It's done!"

"This time, child, it is not my possessions that I am after." Pariah spoke darkly, sword lighting up with energy before the blast was firing off at the teen. "All I come here for is to see your death at my hands."

"That time will be after you fall on my sword, _murderer._ " Danny was raising a shield to deflect the blast harmlessly, Pariah only launching himself forward with his sword raised. Danny raised his sword to block the attack, wincing as he was still shoved back a few feet and right. Pariah was taller than him and wider by a few feet. This was...going to be a little more difficult.

In the air, Randy was firing more shots at Fright Knight, just barely dodging being sliced by his sword. "If you really think you and your King will win, you are _very_ much mistaken."

"You were hardly a King to begin with," Danny bit out. Pariah was only attacking again, pushing his advantage.

"And you will never _be_ one, after today." While the two fought on the ground, Andrew was immediately at Randy's side, a flash of silver slicing through Fright Knight's arm.

"You won't _touch_ him." Randy gave a delighted grin, following the throw of the knife up with a bullet, falling into step behind Andrew as the three settled on the rooftops of the buildings.

"This is not your fight, _ghost_ ," Fright Knight growled, looking unbothered by the wound on his arm.

"I am the _Prince,_ mate to the King. Tell me again this isn't my fight." Fright Knight growled before he was launching at the two, Randy and Andrew darting apart from each other before firing off their attacks, the two in perfect sync with the each other.

"Should I die in this fight, I _will_ return. The same cannot be said of you, however." Danny continued to block the attacks, Pariah managing to push the teen back again, energy flaring through the sword.

"Should I die in this fight, I will make sure that my world has _no_ King."

Energy flowed from Danny into his own sword as he attacked, himself. His eyes seemed to get even _brighter_ before he was glaring at Pariah with red eyes, snarling. " _ **YOU!**_ _You're_ the reason that the Spirit World is broken!"

" _My_ fault?! It was due to abominations like _you_ that my world was broken! I was trying to make it pure! I was going to make our world _perfect_! _Ghosts_?! They are nothing but abominations and pests that are to be _wiped out_!"

" _I am_ _ **no**_ _ghost!_ " A fierce clashing of swords and the two were blasting attacks that sent the other skidding back, Pariah giving a bitter laugh.

"No, you are something even _worse_. You are a ghost that still _lives_. You are the worst abomination of them all!"

"No. _I_ am a spirit. I am Phantom, son of Clockwork, and the Spirit World!"

"You truly think that _child_ will win?! Against a Spirit King who has ruled for centuries?!" Fright Knight was batting away knives before launching an attack at Andrew, Randy bubbling the man before it could hit. "He is nothing to us!"

" _You_ are nothing," Andrew commented with a huff. "You are yet one more life among _hundreds_ that we will take." Fright Knight only scoffed, shattering the shield, sword managing to knick Andrew's arm as he darted to the side again.

"When you are defeated, there will be none to even _remember_ you." A blast of bullets and the ghost was swearing, not managing to dodge all of them.

"And when you are defeated, your name will be the _bane_ of others' existence."

"You are nothing but a _child_! You think you can win this fight?! This fight against the rightful Spirit King?!" As Pariah yelled, the rest of the town was silent, hundreds of ghosts ringing the skies and watching the fight that was taking place below.

"I am the true King!" This fight...was too important to hide from. This was the fight that would determine their fate.

The fate of their world.


	59. In Chess, You Say Check

**Kit - Chesspiece and Checkmate ruined me when it comes to Danny Phantom.**

 **Kas - Chesspi- Ohhh, that one comic!**

 **Kit - Mhm. It's where I first learned of Iambic Prose.**

 **Kas - I know. That made me binge read it.**

* * *

From within the Citadel there was no sound but quiet ticking, two ghosts watching the array of mirrors that spanned the tower.

"How will this-"

"I do not know, Vladimir. My answer will not change, no matter how you ask." Clockwork had shifted his mirrors so that Vlad could see the fight that was taking place over Amity Park. "This is a moment in time...that even I can not foresee the outcome of."

"They keep using...spirit and ghost. As though they're two different things," Vlad hesitantly pointed out.

"That's because they are," Clockwork spoke softly, watching the two fights that were happening. There was no way to tell if it was even or not, at this point. "Ghosts are the beings you've seen here. Beings that were once human before forming here after dying. Spirits...are beings like myself, who formed _in_ this world. We knew no life, before this one."

"And...Daniel. He said he was a spirit. What does he mean?" Clockwork gave a small tilt of his head, thinking on how to explain.

"You both are, technically speaking. Your halves formed from exposure to this world, formed _from_ this world. You two aren't half-ghost, so much as half-spirit. Spirits...are stronger, more powerful. They can use their powers in ways that the ghosts cannot. Whereas ghosts are controlled by their obsessions, spirits can defy theirs if they need to." A small smile. "Like you with your revenge."

Vlad slowly nodded, looking as though he understood, a bit more. "And...is it true? Is he truly the rightful King?"

"When he fought Pariah, he was the one who won the fight. By right, the throne and crown on his, as is his right to rule. If Pariah wins this fight, however...he will be seen as King once more by all rights."

"And the other two? What about them? What does that make them, when Danny wins?" At the 'when', Clockwork couldn't stop a quiet chuckle. 'Danny', though...Vlad was as worried as he was.

"While Andrew would become Prince, Randall would be Knight. As loyal as the Fright Knight is to Pariah."

"...He's going to die no matter what, isn't he?"

"There is always the chance, but...yes. I believe that no matter how this fight ends, Daniel will die. He will come back, as a full spirit, but..." This fight would be Danny's last fight as a halfa.

"...And should Pariah win?" There was a silence at that, Clockwork's words coming out quiet, and heavy.

"If Pariah should win...the wars would start again. Spirits and ghosts would again be at war, and ghosts hunted to extinction. This time, however...it will be far worse than the first."

Vlad slowly nodded, watching the fight carefully. "What did he mean? 'Pariah broke the Spirit World.'"

"Pariah Dark saw ghosts as inferior creatures. He saw them as rodents, and pests. Beings that did not belong in this world. He sought to rid the Spirit World of them, and to reclaim this world as the great place it could be. Others, however, were not receptive to this plan..." A shake of his head. "War broke out between ghosts and spirits, and the world around them was broken from all the fighting. The pieces of land you see? Those 'biomes'? This entire world looked like that, before the wars." A long moment of silence, Clockwork looking to Vlad seriously. "Haven't you ever wondered why there are so few ghosts and spirits in this world?"

"I...suppose I had never really... How long ago were these wars?"

"Near a thousand years ago was when they first began. It was only five hundred ago that the last dregs of them ended. This world...is young, still, Vladimir. It is only two millennia old." Vlad looked up at the time mirrors with a new sense of horror. "...This time Pariah will not be content with just the Spirit World."

Vengeance was a strong thing, and the humans had angered Pariah for far too long, by this point. With no humans...there would never again be another ghost.

::

"They're going to be okay, right?" Annie was wrapped tightly around Sam's waist, looking up at her pathetically.

"Are you kidding me? Wait till you _hear_ the stories of what Danny has gone through- I mean, Pariah? This is _nothing_ compared to that crazy circus freak we had to deal with!"

"So, Stacy, I think we might want to pick a new storybook for me to read to you." The one Tucker was holding was filled with squiggling font, the man tilting it from side-to-side. "I don't think I can read this one for you." Or at all.

"But I wanna read _this_ one," she said stubbornly. Ever since the three had left, she'd been being as difficult as possible.

"I know, but I can't _read_ this one. I'm pretty sure this is Newerth, and I don't want to summon C'thulu."

" _Read. It._ " Tucker sighed but flipped the book back to page one, staring at it seriously for a long few moments.

"Once upon a time, there was a fluffy bunny named Peter Cottontail." The girl huffed, crossing her arms in a pout and turning away from him completely. "Nooo, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'll try!"

"Wait...where's the third one." Sam narrowed her eyes, panicking for a half second before she saw Josh curled up between the lions, staring down at his lap and not moving a bit.

"J... Josh, right? Josh? Why don't you listen to me try to read this?" Josh looked at Tucker for a moment before nodding, flying over to sit beside Stacy, Mufasa and Sasha following after him.

"...Tucker?" Josh's voice was quiet and weak.

"Yeah?"

"Why are you trying to read a ghost book on the history of weapons?" Tucker paused, narrowing his eyes at the book before looking back down at Stacy.

"This is written in ghost?"

"Read it to me."

"Wha- I can't read ghost!"

While Tucker complained, Sam shook her head as she absently ran a hand through Annie's hair. She hoped everything was going alright with Danny... The first fight with Pariah had left him near bedridden for _weeks_. She couldn't imagine how bad it would be this time...

::

"You know, I was _really happy_ when it was a year since the _last time_ I crashed into a building." The area of downtown Amity Park was near razed to the _ground_ , buildings crumbling from powerful attacks and streets near completely torn up to the sewers below.

"You don't know when to give up, child." Pariah was slashing his sword through the air, a powerful attack flying towards Danny.

"I'm _not_ giving up!" Danny dodged the attack just barely, panting as he glanced to Andrew and Randy, who...weren't doing that well, themselves.

"You are but _children_ compared to us! Ghosts who don't know their place!"

"Oh, shut the fuck _up_ ," Randy growled, firing his guns and dodging away from where he had been thrown into a rooftop. Son of a _bitch_ this was _far_ worse than their days as assassins.

Danny sighed, shaking his head slightly as he swung his sword at Pariah's arm, kicking out at his leg a moment later. "You really don't know when to kick the can." Of course, there was then _another_ attack that sent him flying towards _another_ building.

"And you are a deformed creature that should never have survived."

"Okay, really, the insults are just getting old. Don't you ever come up with anything new?" And this...wasn't going well. If things went on like this, they would... They were going to...

"'Son' of Clockwork? You don't even have the powers of a time spirit! Are you just an experiment that failed, child?"

Danny near froze, looking up to the former King with bright red eyes. "...What did you just call me?"

"Do you not have ears?! You are a failed experiment! The same as Clockwork himself was!"

"...And what do you mean by that." There was a pause, and then a raucous laugh.

"You call him your father and yet you don't know?! Clockwork was never a true spirit! He was never meant to form! His mentor sacrificed part of himself in order to save him. He was never meant to _be_ here, let alone a _time spirit_."

" _Time out._ "


	60. Long Live the King

The world was silent.

There was no noise in this world of frozen time. There was no sound but Danny's ragged breathing. Nothing moved, nothing breathed, nothing _existed_ in this frozen moment of time. It was just him, and those who could not see and feel what he could.

Above in the air the fight between Randy, Andrew, and the Fright Knight looked like it had paused. Like a button pressed on a remote. In front of him, Pariah was the same, sword raised to strike but not a movement being made from him. Even the constantly flickering crown was still, not a movement to be seen in the entire world around him.

Danny stood back to his full height, looking at Pariah- _Pariah_. The fallen king who had _dared_ to do such things. Dared to _say_ such things. He glanced to the ghosts surrounding him, and then to his parents, whom stood against the barrier with eyes on him. What he had almost dared to do _again._ A creature that had far outlived the time he was meant to, and tried to drag the worlds down with him.

The fallen king would truly fall, this time.

It was almost absently that Danny felt his power surging and growing around him, full potential finally unlocked as he froze all of _time_. Energy growing, he turned glowing blue eyes back to Pariah, energy surging into his sword as he raised it. He would teach Pariah why he was not to be messed with. Why he was to be _feared_ , and not treated like a _child_.

The world he was in stretched on forever, allowing him to do what he wished and take as much time as he needed, allowing him to mold and sculpt his power in ways he had never thought to before. He was unsure how long he spent inside that world, but eventually, he knew it was time to remove himself from it. Time could not be stopped forever, besides... All was as it should be.

Danny floated there, the tip of his sword pressed against Pariah's chest. He let out a shuddering breath, slightly shaking. He was able to see in the reflection of the spirit's armor that the blue glow had completely overtaken his eyes. "...Time in."

Pariah's eye widened as he staggered on his feet, pain hitting him all at once. A look down to the teen in front of him showed why that was. " _Timekeeper_." The word was hissed out as a swear, rage completely overtaking the former King's eyes. "No- _NO! I will not be beaten by a timekeeper again! You will_ _ **kneel**_ _before the true King!_ " The words were _brimming_ with power and command, Pariah's aura flaring around him.

Around them, ghosts were shuddering, few falling to their knees while others struggled to remain standing. Danny looked unaffected by the command, only looking up at Pariah. "You are no longer the true King. Your orders have no power over me. _I_ am the true King of the Spirit World."

Above them, Fright Knight looked panicked before he was trying to rush to Pariah's side, his lapse in attention allowed for a knife and bullet both to sink into his core. "The reign of Pariah is over...and it will never be so again." With that taken care of, Danny was sinking his sword into Pariah's core, looking emotionless as the spirit began to fade before him.

"The Spirit World will never suffer from you again, Pariah...may you face the sins you've committed." A blast of power was felt for miles around, Pariah Dark completely gone and the Crown of Fire falling to the ground, green fires flickering as they faded to an icy blue. The entire crown changed into something softer, and more fragile, looking like it had been crafted by ice. Beside it was the Ring of Rage, a dark blue color, and a snowflake replacing the symbol that had been on it.

Danny gave a quiet laugh, falling to his knees as the crown rolled to bump into his leg. "...Long live the king." He winced, using his hands to support himself as the familiar white rings wrapped around him, and left him in his human form. It felt as though he was being torn apart from all sides, his attention being drawn to multiple things at once.

It was only a few more moments before his arms gave out, gentle hands catching him and pulling him into a warm lap. "Heh...we won, little kitten. Never gonna have to worry about Pariah again." There was the sound of fingers tapping on...something and there was a faint cry of 'Danny!'

"Yeah... We did." Danny leaned against Randy, breathing heavily. "...I'm gonna die."

"We know," Andrew spoke softly, brushing the teen's hair out of his eyes, hands shaking. "Ghosts aren't meant to have time powers...or halfas either, it seems."

"Humans aren't meant for it," Danny agreed, giving a small nod as he felt warmer, arms wrapped around him from all angles. "...I don't want to die." There were various people talking, clear sounds of crying from multiple people, and a quiet whisper from Randy.

" _Don't be afraid of this, little kitten. You'll come back and be the best King that the Spirit World has ever seen...you were meant for this, and you'll be_ _ **amazing**_ _._ " Danny gave another small nod as his eyes slipped closed, things around him starting to go quiet. He felt Andrew's hand take his own - to whom else could the hand belong to? His mates comforting him, with his family close by...

It was a warm feeling. And the last one he knew.


End file.
